Care.Com Faces Wrongful Death Lawsuit After Nanny Alleged Kills Baby

|
Irvin Jackson

Add Your Comments

The babysitter referral website, Care.com, now faces a lawsuit for allegedly failing to do a proper background check on a nanny accused of causing the death of an infant she was caring for. 

Nathan and Reggan Koopmeiners filed a wrongful death lawsuit last week in Wisconsin state court against both Sarah Gumm, a nanny jailed on first-degree murder charges, and Care.com, the website that referred her to them.

Gumm allegedly killed three month-old Rylan Cooper in 2012, after leaving the child alone in order to go out and buy alcohol. Police and the Koopmeiners said that she somehow caused a fatal head injury to the child when she returned. Gumm is currently in jail in Lake County, Illinois awaiting trial.

Do You Know about…

Spinal Cord Stimulator lawsuits

Spinal cord stimulator lawsuits are being investigated for individuals who suffered unnecessary shocks, burns or other problems, often resulting in the need for additional surgery to remove the SCS.

Learn More
SEE IF YOU QUALIFY FOR COMPENSATION
Spinal-Cord-Stimulation-Lawsuit
Spinal-Cord-Stimulation-Lawsuit

Do You Know About…

Spinal Cord Stimulator lawsuits

Spinal cord stimulator lawsuits are being investigated for individuals who suffered unnecessary shocks, burns or other problems, often resulting in the need for additional surgery to remove the SCS.

Learn More
SEE IF YOU QUALIFY FOR COMPENSATION

In the lawsuit against Care.com, the Koopmeiners allege that the company was negligent and partially responsible for the child’s death, because it failed to do an adequate background check.

The couple said they paid for the site’s “Premier Background Check”, which is the highest level of background check the site provides. However, the couple claims that the background check did not reveal Gumm’s history of alcohol abuse, arrests for DUI, and criminal record suggesting violence. Care.com listed Gumm as “suitable for providing child care and nanny services” according to the lawsuit.

Care.com officials dispute the couple’s claims, and maintain that the couple did not avail itself to Care.com’s background check options. Officially, the website cautions that it does not endorse any care provider and is not responsible for their behavior.

Gumm has plead not guilty to the first degree murder charges, and her attorney says that the child’s death was the result of recklessness. The child’s family and police claim she may have intentionally struck the child in the head.

Irvin Jackson
Written by: Irvin Jackson

Senior Legal Journalist & Contributing Editor

Irvin Jackson is a senior investigative reporter at AboutLawsuits.com with more than 30 years of experience covering mass tort litigation, environmental policy, and consumer safety. He previously served as Associate Editor at Inside the EPA and contributes original reporting on product liability lawsuits, regulatory failures, and nationwide litigation trends.

Tags: Care.com, Infant Death, Nanny, Wisconsin, Wrongful Death Lawsuit
Image Credit: |

More Lawsuit Stories

0 Comments

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Share Your Comments

This field is hidden when viewing the form
I authorize the above comments be posted on this page
Post Comment
Weekly Digest Opt-In

Want your comments reviewed by a lawyer?

To have an attorney review your comments and contact you about a potential case, provide your contact information below. This will not be published.

NOTE: Providing information for review by an attorney does not form an attorney-client relationship.

MORE TOP STORIES

Depo-Provera Meningioma Side Effects Left Woman With Debilitating Migraines, Lawsuit Claims
A Depo-Provera meningioma lawsuit indicates that a woman suffered permanent and debilitating injuries after needing to have a brain tumor surgically removed.
Dupixent Injection Lawsuit Alleges Manufacturer Failed to Warn About T-Cell Lymphoma Cancer Side Effects
Regeneron and Sanofi-Aventis face a Dupixent injection lawsuit from a Louisiana woman who says the companies knew about the drug’s risks but downplayed them to doctors and patients.
MORE ABOUT: DUPIXENT LAWSUIT
Port Catheter Thrombosis Lawsuit Claims Defective AngioDynamics Xcela Device Caused Thrombosis
A Nevada woman has filed a lawsuit alleging defects in AngioDynamics’ port catheters caused her Xcela device to trigger a thrombosis in her right internal jugular vein.