‘Horrific’: 3-year-old boy died at day care after being physically held down for nap time, lawsuit says
PARK HILLS, Mo. (KMOV/Gray News) – A 3-year-old nonverbal autistic child died at a Missouri day care when he was forcibly held down to take a nap, according to officials.
The death happened on May 16 at Poppy’s Playhouse 2 in Park Hills, Missouri, which is about 65 miles south of St. Louis.
Family identified the boy as 3-year-old Conrad David Wade Ashcraft. They say he was autistic and nonverbal.
The family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Poppy’s Playhouse 2. The family says Conrad had only been attending the day care for a few weeks.
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) said on Tuesday that it has stripped the facility of its day care license.
According to DESE’s investigation, on May 16, staff member Tiffany Hedrick took Conrad to the hallway during nap time because he was crying and whining. She allegedly lay Conrad on his back and tucked the sides of his personal blanket under his body, trapping his arms.
But Conrad kept wiggling, so Hedrick then allegedly turned him over onto his stomach.
Hedrick also allegedly put an 18.2-pound weighted blanket over Conrad’s body, as well as over half of his face, to try to get him to sleep.
When he still wouldn’t stop moving, Hedrick allegedly placed her legs over Conrad’s body to physically hold him down until he stopped and she believed he was asleep.
Conrad was not checked on again by any staff because they all believed he had fallen asleep, a letter from DESE reads. Hedrick left for the day before Conrad’s mom came to pick him up.
The wrongful death lawsuit alleges staff failed to realize that Conrad had suffocated, and they left him there for approximately four hours before he was checked on.
The lawsuit says Conrad was not checked on until his mother came to pick him up approximately four hours later, at which time she found his lifeless body under the blankets.
DESE said “he was stiff, cold, and his leg was purple.”
Conrad’s aunt Lacey Hardy said the family is devastated.
“He was the absolute sweetest and beautiful nonverbal autistic 3-year-old,” Hardy told KMOV. “He was a son, brother, grandson, nephew and cousin to several people who loved him so very much.”
Hardy said that what happened to her nephew was “a horrific, callous, negligent, and senseless act that never should have happened.”
With Conrad being nonverbal, he couldn’t speak up for himself to say that he was hurting or couldn’t breathe.
“This purposeful depravity, that caused the death of an innocent 3-year-old, has created so much unbearable heartache, devastation, and crushing pain for our families,” Hardy said. “No family should ever have to endure this type of pain.”
Park Hills police have asked the St. Francois County Sheriff’s Office to conduct the criminal investigation because the facility is owned by a member of the Park Hills City Council, the city said in a statement.
Missouri Secretary of State business records show the day care is owned by Spring Gray, who served as Ward 2 City Councilwoman for the City of Park Hills up until Conrad’s death. She has since submitted her resignation.
“The City of Park Hills is heartbroken by the tragic loss of a child’s life on Friday, May 16, 2025, at a local day care,” the Park Hills City Council statement reads. “Our thoughts are with the family during this unimaginable time, and we extend our deepest condolences to all those affected.”
The statement continues, “Because the day care is owned by a member of the Park Hills City Council, the city immediately referred the matter to the St. Francois County Sheriff’s Department.”
KMOV tried to reach the day care for comment, but the call was not immediately returned. An online notification says the business is temporarily closed.
St. Francois County Sheriff Jeff Crites said in a statement that detectives have been assigned to 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,” Crites said. “At this time, the investigation remains active and further details will be released as they become available.”
It’s unclear what criminal charges will be filed.
A memorial now sits outside the day care with signs and stuffed animals in honor of Conrad.
“This baby deserves justice. He did not deserve this,” his aunt said. “This isn’t going to be swept underneath the rug. We will make sure of that. We will make sure we get justice for Conrad.”
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