Parents Suing Daycare Worker For Doing This To Their Child

Angel Blankenship and Jovon Mitchell, the parents of a 16-month-old toddler who died at a North Carolina daycare, are suing a former employee, Alexandra Coffey, in a wrongful death lawsuit filed Monday, March 16.

The lawsuit alleges that on May 19, 2025, Coffey put Maddy Mitchell face down on a sleeping mat, and covered her head with a blanket at Creative Beginnings Daycare of Lenoir.

'Defendant Coffey then laid her upper body over the top of Maddy's upper body, in the area of Maddy's upper torso and neck.

'Maddy's free lower leg kicked for several minutes until her leg stopped moving. After Maddy stopped moving, Defendant Coffey continued to lie on Maddy while scrolling on her phone,' the lawsuit alleges.

According to the lawsuit, Coffey got up after some time and left Maddy under the blanket without checking on her for three hours.

By the time she checked on the infant, Maddy 'was already dead from smothering and compression asphyxia.

'When Defendant Coffey picked up Maddy, Maddy was already noticeably stiff due to rigor mortis,' per the lawsuit.

The child was transported to the hospital and pronounced dead.

The North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined the child's manner of death was a homicide.

Coffey was charged with involuntary manslaughter after the incident.

Coffey’s criminal defense attorney, Lisa Dubs, says her client is not presently in custody. “She was given a bond and made a bond.” Dubs says.

“There's no guesswork because everything that is alleged is on videotape. Everything is videoed. The state law requires the daycares to have cameras. I think it's outrageous. It's tragic. This was the child's first day at daycare.” says attorney Donald Strickland, who represents the toddler’s parents, told PEOPLE.

“Obviously, she is distraught over the situation,” Coffey’s criminal defense attorney Lisa Dubs tells PEOPLE. “She loves children. She maintains her innocence.”

Blankenship said they "are trying to get justice for Maddy. We don’t want this to happen to any other children. And we’re going to ... continue to fight for answers."