A South of Market family is reeling and demanding answers after their 2-year-old son, Ethan Sandoval, died following a fall at an in-home daycare in San Francisco. Relatives say Ethan was found unconscious at the daycare, rushed to a hospital, and never recovered, leaving his parents pressing for clarity on what went wrong and what safety rules were in place.
According to an incident report, Ethan fell while climbing a wooden toy and hit the back of his head. He was discovered unresponsive, taken to a hospital, and died four days later. In written comments, the daycare owner said they would add padding under the play structure to reduce the risk of future injuries. Both social services and the San Francisco Police Department have launched investigations, according to NBC Bay Area.
How Licensing And Investigations Work
Licensed family child-care homes in California fall under the oversight of the state’s Community Care Licensing Division. Providers must report unusual incidents and cooperate with any follow-up investigations. The state publishes official forms, including LIC 624B for unusual incidents or injuries and LIC 624A for child death reports, and it operates a complaint hotline along with searchable licensing records for parents through the California Department of Social Services.
Bay Area Precedents
The SOMA case arrives amid heightened concern about in-home daycare safety in the Bay Area. In October 2023 two toddlers drowned at a San Jose home daycare, a tragedy that led to felony charges and subsequent courtroom developments, as reported by ABC7. These incidents highlight broader risks facing very young children. The CDC notes that drowning is the leading cause of unintentional injury death for children ages 1 to 4, and that falls are a frequent reason for nonfatal emergency room visits.
What Parents Can Do
Parents who want to vet a daycare’s safety history can review inspection reports and license status through the state’s “Find Licensed Care” portal and may file complaints with Community Care Licensing, according to the California Department of Social Services. If there are urgent safety concerns or suspicions of criminal negligence, families are advised to contact local law enforcement and preserve any texts, emails, photos, or other records that could help investigators.
Ethan’s family says they will keep pushing for answers as social services and SFPD continue to examine the circumstances of the fall. Officials have not yet released any public findings from their investigations.
