Spring Mother Claims Montessori School Lied About Missing Child Incident

SPRING, TX -- The mother of a 2-year-old girl is suing Spell Well Montessori School, claiming caregivers lost track of her child for an unknown amount of time at the school and then attempted to cover up the incident. According to the lawsuit, in June 2023 the school notified Allison Pedigo that her daughter had scratches on her face. Pedigo had to press the school to find out why her daughter was harmed. The suit states administrators finally admitted the toddler was found alone outside of the school. However, Spell Well Montessori could not explain how or when the 2-year-old was able to exit the facility, per the complaint.

To make matters worse, the caregiver responsible for Pedigo’s daughter and school administration provided five different versions of the incident to Pedigo and state investigators, according to the complaint. The suit also states the video footage for the toddler’s classroom was “lost” and “unavailable,” despite no issues with other classroom recordings that day at Spell Well Montessori.

“I’m in disbelief that Spell Well Montessori reacted to questions about my daughter’s disappearance by trying to sweep the incident under the rug,” says Pedigo. “As a mom, I have one top concern: my child’s safety. The school’s repeated lapses in judgment show they do not share that priority. This lawsuit is about standing up for my family and other working parents who rely on childcare.”

Spell Well Montessori touted itself as a school where children could “be safe, comfortable, and happy,” according to the suit. However, an investigation by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission into the Pedigos’ incident cited the school for putting the toddler at risk and not properly supervising her. A walkthrough of the facility during the investigation also led to two more safety violations on top of the 23 the school received between October 2020 and October 2023—four months after the incident. Issues ranged from a lack of supervision and endangering other children to failing to follow state laws after a child was injured at the school.

“It is disheartening to see a school fail in its duty to protect the children in its care,” says daycare injury attorney Russell Button of The Button Law Firm, who represents Pedigo. “No family should endure the pain of a child wandering unnoticed, let alone witness efforts to conceal such negligence. We aim to emphasize the importance of honesty, vigilance, and accountability at Spell Well Montessori.”

The case is Allison Pedigo, Individually and as parents and next friend of M.K., a minor child, vs. Noor, Inc. d/b/a Spell Well Montessori School, Cause No. 2024-15144 in the District Court of Harris County, Texas.