8-year-old New York City student allegedly burned after drinking ‘dangerous’ fountain at Inwood charter school: lawsuit

An 8-year-old Brooklyn girl was burned after taking a sip from a “dangerous” fountain at her Inwood school, her family alleged in a lawsuit.

The third-grade student, identified in court documents only as LE, suffered burns to her lips, mouth and face from a fountain that was intentionally connected to hot water pipes to provide access to workers preparing hot drinks, her family claims.

However, employees at Dos Amigos, the city’s charter school at 108 Cooper St. in Bushwick, did not send her home or notify her parents, her father alleged in court documents.

Rather than take responsibility for the January 10, 2024 incident, ‘Dos Amigos removed the fountain the very next day in an apparent effort to conceal evidence and/or prevent LE’s parents from investigating and/or taking any photos of the children. fountains,” the family said in a legal filing.

The dangerous fountain “did not have a safety valve,” said family attorney Marc Held.

The fountain was removed “during a meeting between her parents and the school administration to prevent parents from checking the fountain themselves,” Held added.

Dos Amigos serves preschoolers and fourth graders through School in the Square, a group of public urban charter schools.

The family is demanding unspecified compensation from the city, the Department of Education and the School on the Square.

The Department of Education referred questions to the School on the Square, which did not respond to a message seeking comment.