Parents Of Child Who Died After Attending Miami Day Care "Heartbroken"

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CORAL GABLES (CBSMiami) –The parents of a 22-month-old boy who died from bacterial meningitis after he had attended a Miami day care facility for 7 months say they are "heartbroken."

Their attorneys told CBS4's Peter D'Oench that his death was preventable and they are considering a lawsuit against the child's medical care providers and the YWCA-Carol Glasman Donaldson Childcare Center.

Right now, the attorneys are not naming the medical care provides.

"Connor was like a teddy bear," said the child's mother Doreen Mincey. "He was like a teddy bear. He liked to sing and I would read to him and say goodnight and he would say I love you mom.

"He would come in to a room and light it up. He had a wonderful heart. He was a happy child. This is heartbreaking. Everyone will miss him so much. He should be home with me today."

Connor's father Donald said, "It has been a nightmare like something I have not seen before. This surprised all of us. I loved that little child like never before. We were living a dream with him. I was coming down here today and I wanted to break down. There is blame to go all way round. I trust in what my law every are saying about who is to blame. I trust my lawyers on this one."

Family attorney Judd Rosen said "We are deeply devastated and this death was preventable." He said Connor Mincey was first diagnosed with a fever November 21st and his family discovered that he was contagious. The child was taken to two hospitals but was not given anti-biotic medication.

He said Connor was finally given antibiotics on December 3rd, the same day he died.

"We feel that he should have been receiving antibiotics earlier because of his condition," said Rosen. He said the medical providers and the day care center did not meet safety standards that would have helped the child."

It was not clear what the day care center could have done but the family attorneys noted that on December 1st, it received six compliance complaints including one that said the center did not have an isolation area for an ill child.

Family attorney Glen Goldberg said he has never seen a case like this one in 45 years. He said two loving parents lost a child who will now never come home.

A week after Connor died, another child who attended the center, a 2-year-old boy, passed away outside the U.S.

Because of that, officials have not been able to confirm through laboratory tests a cause of death.

It's not known if the two cases are connected.

Fifty-five children attend the Center that is on the ground of County Hall. Ten children have a parent who works for the county.

CBS4 reached out to the CEO of the Center for reaction and comment but so far there has been no response.

Bacterial meningitis is an infection of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.