Cesar Ornelas Law Files $10 Million Suit Against Daycare Facility Amid Sexual Abuse Allegations

A San Antonio daycare and early learning chain, Pinnacle Kids Academy, is facing a $10 million lawsuit filed by Cesar Ornelas Law. The suit has been filed on behalf of the Celaj family, whose 3-year-old daughter described a sexual assault by a male employee during a diaper change at the Braun Road location of the daycare facility.

The incident is alleged to have occurred in January. The girl’s father, Uros Celaj, reported that when asked about when the assault happened, his daughter responded, “whenever I’m a good girl.”

Cesar Ornelas Law, a prominent personal injury law firm, is representing the Celaj family in the case. Two former Bexar County child sex crimes prosecutors, Leslie Cortez and Angela Tabares, are handling the civil case on behalf of the young victim and her family.

In addition to the monetary compensation that they are seeking in damages, Tabares has spoken openly about the need for Pinnacle Kids Academy, and their parent companies, Infinity Rock Enterprises, and Truevine Learning Services, to release a Safety Action Plan detailing how they will prevent future sexual assaults at their facilities.

“This is one of the most heinous and alarming cases I’ve dealt with in my career,” former prosecutor Angela Tabares said. “As such, my co-counsel and I are demanding that Pinnacle Kids Academy release a safety action plan to parents, the community, and the media explaining how they will keep young girls and boys in their care safe from future sexual and physical abuse. I am outraged and shocked that Pinnacle Kids Academy allows male employees to be alone and change the diapers of female students. That must be addressed immediately in the safety action plan and prevented from ever happening again.”

Celaj says heartbreaking and disgusting is the only way to describe the alleged sexual assault his three-year-old daughter suffered at Pinnacle Kids Academy on Braun Road.

“She demonstrates in detail how a person would penetrate something,” Celaj said.

Celaj learned of the assault from his daughter on January 31st. He immediately filed a report with SAPD and took her for an exam at the Children’s Hospital. SAPD confirmed that they were investigating, but could not share further details because it involves a minor.

Nine days after the investigation began, the director of Pinnacle Kids Academy sent parents a letter categorically denying the allegations. The employee accused of the crime has been placed on paid leave according to the letter.

“That letter is full of lies,” Celaj said.

“This is how they reacted. They’re calling a three-year-old girl a liar,” Tabares added.

Tabares says that the civil suit was filed before the criminal investigation was finished because they wanted to protect other families and encourage them to listen if their kids show any behavioral changes.

“There are no words to describe the devastation that this completely preventable sexual abuse has taken on my daughter and our family,” said Celaj. “As we continue to work with San Antonio Police and Child Protective Services regarding our daughter’s sexual abuse case, Pinnacle Kids Academy has yet to inform the parents of other students of the allegations against Christopher Diaz. They must be transparent and inform the other parents immediately to protect all our children.”

Cesar Ornelas handles catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death cases for clients in Texas and across the nation. Ornelas has won multiple million and multi-million verdicts on and settlements on behalf of his clients, helping to change their lives after facing incredibly damaging circumstances.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes