$2 Million Verdict Against Church That Hid Daycare Worker's Abuse History

In November 2010, a daycare worker at John Knox Presbyterian Church's child development center in Tulsa abused a girl who was approximately 19 months old during a routine diaper change. The injuries were severe enough to require surgery. What the family later learned was that another Tulsa church had information that could have prevented the harm entirely.

The worker, Meredith Howard, had previously been employed at a daycare operated by Kirk of the Hills Church. While she worked there, Kirk of the Hills officials learned that Howard was the subject of an abuse investigation involving an infant boy at that facility. Howard was not fired. When she left and was hired at John Knox's daycare, Kirk of the Hills said nothing.

Laurie Koller, then an attorney at Carr and Carr Injury Attorneys in Tulsa, sued Kirk of the Hills on behalf of the injured girl's family. The core argument was negligent referral: the church had active knowledge of an ongoing abuse investigation against Howard and chose to stay silent rather than warn the next employer where children would be in Howard's care. Koller argued that Kirk of the Hills was more concerned about potential employment liability than the safety of the children Howard would go on to work with.

The case went to a Tulsa County District Court jury. Jurors found that Kirk of the Hills had acted with reckless disregard for the safety of children. On May 10, 2014, the jury returned a verdict of $2 million for the plaintiff family.

Howard had pleaded no contest to criminal charges in November 2012. No reduction of the civil jury award has been reported in public records.