A 23-month-old boy suffered a traumatic brain injury and hearing loss after a daycare worker allegedly tossed him several feet into the air and failed to catch him, according to a new lawsuit.
The incident happened in March 2025 at The Bay Club Clubhouse in El Segundo, California, where the toddler, identified in court documents only as “C.K.,” was being cared for.
Images included in the lawsuit and obtained by The California Post allegedly show an employee playfully swinging the child by his arms before launching him above her head. The worker then appears unable to catch him, causing both of them to crash to the floor.
C.K. allegedly struck his head and began crying hysterically as other adults in the room looked on in shock, the lawsuit claims.
The toddler’s parents, Matt and Elena Kittle, said the fall left their son with a traumatic brain injury and ongoing hearing loss.
Matt Kittle dropped C.K. off at the childcare facility at 8:35 a.m. on the morning of the incident before heading to the nearby Manhattan Country Club, where initiation fees reportedly begin at $25,000 and monthly dues cost about $1,000.
Membership at the country club allows children to be watched at the nearby Bay Club Clubhouse without any additional charge, according to the Bay Club’s website.
The lawsuit claims Matt later received a call from the facility informing him that C.K. had fallen but had since calmed down.
“The staff member said she did not think they needed to pick up C.K., but wanted them to know the incident took place,” the lawsuit states.
About 15 minutes later, however, the daycare reportedly called again and said the child needed to be picked up because staff had been unable to calm him.
The lawsuit alleges employees gave Matt the impression that his son had suffered only a minor injury. One employee allegedly told him over the phone that C.K. had fallen just one and a half feet.
When Matt arrived, however, he reportedly found that the right side of his son’s face was badly bruised, his right eye was swollen shut and his mouth was swollen.
“Upon arriving home C.K. was extremely drowsy, lethargic, and irritable,” the lawsuit states.
By 11:30 a.m., the toddler had been admitted to the emergency room at Torrance Hospital for evaluation of blunt-force head trauma. Doctors diagnosed him with a traumatic brain injury, according to the court filing.
The Kittles later disputed the daycare’s claim that their son had fallen only one and a half feet and requested video footage of the incident.
After reviewing the recording, they alleged C.K. had actually been thrown at least six feet into the air before falling to the ground.
“C.K. is still experiencing symptoms from the traumatic brain injury including loss of hearing,” the lawsuit states.
The filing also accuses the El Segundo Bay Club of operating without a license from the California Department of Social Services.
According to the lawsuit, the facility improperly claims it is exempt from licensing requirements because parents remain on the premises while their children are being supervised.
However, the Kittles argue that Manhattan Country Club members are not required to remain at the Clubhouse while their children are being cared for there.
“When the child of a member of the Manhattan Country Club is being cared for at the Clubhouse, the member is not required to stay on the premises,” the filing states.
The Kittles are seeking an amount to be determined by a jury and have accused the Bay Club of negligence, battery, fraud and infliction of emotional distrress.
Asinine.