A Fort Worth mother says her toddler was taped to a chair at a Spanish‑immersion daycare, and she says the proof is on the classroom video that staff showed her. The child, known to family as Scottie and now almost 2, has refused to wear the high‑chair belt at home since the footage came to light. Scottie has been pulled out of the program while the center and state officials review what was caught on camera.
Missy Bowie told reporters she viewed two separate clips from the same week and believes more footage exists. She said the assistant director told her that her daughter had been abused and neglected along with other students. Tierra Encantada, the chain that runs the Camp Bowie location, told investigators that staff used painters' tape to secure children to their chairs as a makeshift seatbelt during meals and activities, and said the practice was not approved and did not follow company policies. The company said it self‑reported the incident to Texas child‑care licensing, fired the two employees involved and invited law enforcement to review the videos, and police told reporters they would not open a criminal investigation after watching the footage, as reported by WFAA.
Where this happened
Tierra Encantada's Camp Bowie center is part of a chain of Spanish‑immersion early‑education programs and lists its Camp Bowie address as 6201 Sunset Dr Ste 600 in Fort Worth, according to Tierra Encantada. The site notes that the center serves infants through pre‑K. Bowie told reporters the classroom involved in the video included toddlers roughly 18 to 36 months old.
State review and rules
Bowie said the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services is investigating the allegations, per WFAA. DFPS' Child Care Investigations unit is the state division that looks into alleged abuse, neglect and exploitation in child‑care facilities, the agency notes in its self‑evaluation, and it can share investigation details with the state's child‑care licensing program if enforcement or licensing action is warranted, as outlined by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.
How often does this happen?
Similar tape or restraint allegations have surfaced in North Texas before. In 2023, a Forney parent claimed a teacher taped a 10‑year‑old to his desk, prompting a school police inquiry. Episodes like these have renewed questions about training and supervision in classrooms and daycares across the region, advocates and attorneys say, as reported by FOX 4.
Parents say they are watching for the results of the state probe and any updates from the center. Tierra Encantada told reporters it invited law enforcement to review the footage and that personnel action was taken. The center said it fired the employees involved and is cooperating with regulators.
