Negligence and MalpracticePersonal Injury
April 6, 2026In a landmark decision for child safety and personal injury law, a Polk County jury held an unlicensed daycare operator and her staff accountable for the "heinous and catastrophic" injuries inflicted upon an infant in their care. Nine-month-old Owen Ryals, who arrived at the facility as a healthy child, left with multiple skull fractures, retinal detachment, and permanent brain damage after being subjected to blunt force trauma. The trial revealed a pattern of negligence and deception, including the Defendants' failure to seek timely medical intervention and the misrepresentation of the home as a safe, licensed environment. The resulting $110,000,000 verdict stands as one of the largest in Arkansas history, reflecting the jury's condemnation of the Defendants' "willful and wanton" disregard for human life.









