Houston day care where 3-year-old died in hot van permanently closes
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The day care where a toddler died after being left behind in a hot van is now shut down for good.
The state revoked the operating license for "Discovering Me Academy," which is in northwest Harris County.
The daycare is asking for a review of the decision.
In July, 3-year-old Raymond Pryer was left inside of a van after returning from a field trip.
Authorities say the preschooler, who also went by R.J., was on the trip with 28 other students. According to the day care, R.J. was accounted for at that time.
He wasn't discovered until his father arrived hours later to pick him up.
Deputy constables said it appeared R.J. was left in the vehicle for at least four hours. Temperatures inside reached at least 113 degrees, Constable Alan Rosen said.
According to records, the day care was cited for several violations involving their van in 2015. One violation included not having an electronic child safety alarm, which is used to notify a driver that a child was left in the vehicle.
The day care was also cited for not reporting a wreck involving the van in a timely manner, and for a driver not knowing the number of children in her group.
R.J.'s parents, Raymond and Dikeisha Whitlock-Pryer, are also suing the daycare for more than $1 million in damages for mental anguish and burial expenses. The lawsuit was filed on Aug.14 in Harris County.
'I'm destroyed inside' Family suing over death of 3-year-old left in hot day care van
The family is also in the process of setting up a foundation called the R.J. Foundation 4 Kids that will focus on preventing hot car deaths. They told Eyewitness News they are seeking to get the laws and procedures changed to ensure children are protected when they are dropped off at day care facilities.
SEE MORE: 3-year-old boy left behind in hot day care van after field trip dies
