A Missouri mother is taking legal action against a local daycare following the death of her 3-year-old son.

Tara Williams, the mother of Conrad Ashcraft, has initiated a wrongful death lawsuit against Poppy’s Playhouse, claiming that the daycare was aware and allowed the use of a dangerous technique by an employee which contributed to her son’s death.

The lawsuit, submitted on Monday in St. Francois County, outlines that the tragic event took place on May 16 at the daycare situated on Mitchell Street in Park Hills.

Williams is alleging that her son suffered “a fatal injury” as a result of the defendant’s carelessness. She states that an employee applied pressure with their legs on Conrad’s chest or abdomen to get him to sleep, leading to the tragic outcome.

“[O]n information and belief, [Conrad] was killed and remained laying on the floor of Defendant’s facility for hours without any effort to determine his wellbeing,” the filing read.

Lacey Hardie, the boy’s aunt, told KSDK that Conrad was nonverbal and autistic, and didn’t know how to verbally ask for help.

Hardie added that children at the daycare typically began nap time around 12:30 p.m. She said Conrad’s mother arrived hours later at 4:15 p.m., and found him unresponsive on the floor. He was still lying where the employee had allegedly forced him to sleep. 

She believes the employee, owner and witnesses to the incident should be held accountable.

“It’s not just one person or the owner, it’s everybody there who was witnessing the abuse and didn’t say anything,” Hardee said.

According to The Kansas City Star, the daycare has not publicly responded to the allegations. The St. Francois County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Childhood, is currently investigating.

On Tuesday, DESE sent a letter to the daycare’s owner, Spring Gray, saying it had pulled the facility’s daycare license.

“On May 20, 2025, DESE notified Poppy’s Playhouse, LLC (d/b/a Poppy’s Playhouse 2) that DESE’s Office of Childhood was immediately suspending its license to operate its child care facility at 6 Mitchell Street in Park Hills after the tragic death of a 3-year-old child on May 16, 2025. That immediate suspension letter is attached. Poppy’s Playhouse, LLC (d/b/a Poppy’s Playhouse 2) has 10 days to appeal the immediate suspension. If an appeal is made, DESE has 10 days to hold a hearing.”

On Wednesday, St. Francois County Sheriff Jeff Crites said in a statement detectives are currently working on the case.

“The St. Francois County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to conducting a thorough and complete investigation, with the goal of providing answers to the child’s family and community. At this time the investigation remains active and further details will be released as they become available.”

Anyone with additional information about the case should contact the sheriff’s office.

[Feature Photo via Coplin Funeral Home]