Avon Daycare Abuse Allegations Grow, Former Workers Urged To Come Forward: Attorneys

AVON, CT — Attorneys representing families in civil litigation stemming from alleged sexual abuse at a former Avon child care center said Tuesday they expect to file additional lawsuits and are urging former employees to come forward with information.

The announcement came as Jan Carlos Berrios-Otero, a former employee of the BrightPath Avon Early Learning and Child Care Center on Simsbury Road, appeared in court for pre-trial proceedings Tuesday, Sept. 15, in the criminal case against him.

Berrios-Otero faces multiple criminal charges in connection with allegations involving children who attended the facility.

The allegations have also resulted in civil litigation involving families and the now-shuttered Avon center.

Attorney Eric Schoenberg, who represents families along with attorney Sarah Klein, said additional legal actions are being prepared.

“There will be a significant expansion of litigation in the coming weeks,” Schoenberg said. “The cases currently pending merely scratch the surface of the full scope of this situation. We are preparing additional legal actions. The number of cases before the court will grow substantially.”

The attorneys also said that, as of Sept. 4, a significant number of people who worked at the BrightPath/Busy Bees Avon location when it closed are no longer employed by the company.

Klein said the attorneys hope former employees who may previously have been reluctant to speak will now provide information about what they witnessed at the facility.

“For months, we have been trying to understand not only what happened to these children, but how it was able to happen inside a daycare where parents believed their children were being watched and protected,” Klein said. “Former employees may have information that is critical to answering those questions.”

Klein said former employees should contact the legal team even if they are unsure whether their information is important.

“If you worked at BrightPath Avon and saw something, heard something, raised a concern, noticed unusual behavior, or have information about what was happening inside that facility, we want to hear from you,” Klein said. “Now that your employment has ended, we hope you feel free to speak. Something that seemed insignificant at the time could be incredibly important when viewed alongside everything we now know.”

Schoenberg also encouraged families who have not pursued civil claims to contact an attorney, saying the civil court system is separate from whether criminal charges were brought in an individual case.

Criminal Case

Avon police initially arrested Berrios-Otero on April 1 following an investigation that began after daycare administrators reported suspected inappropriate contact involving a child.

Police and court records previously indicated that authorities expanded the investigation and brought additional charges involving six alleged incidents and five children.

Berrios-Otero has faced multiple counts, including fourth-degree sexual assault, risk of injury to a minor, and aggravated sexual assault of a minor.

Authorities have said several of the alleged victims were younger than 13.

The criminal charges are allegations, and Berrios-Otero is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

The attorneys' announcement Tuesday concerns the separate civil litigation and their plans for additional filings; the claims in those cases likewise remain allegations unless established through the legal process.

The daycare shuttered for good amid the legal issues earlier this year.

From June 3: 'Attorneys: New Evidence Expands Scope Of Avon Daycare Abuse Probe; Daycare Calls Situation 'Heartbreaking'