Background: News footage of the Creative Beginnings day care center in Lenoir, N.C. (WBTV). Inset (left): Maddy, the 16-month-old who died on her first day at Creative Beginnings (GoFundMe). Inset (right): Alexandra Coffey (Caldwell County Detention Center).
A North Carolina day care worker charged with manslaughter in connection with the death of a toddler is now being sued by the little girl's parents.
Alexandra Coffey, 30, was working as a day care worker at Creative Beginnings in Lenoir, North Carolina, on 16-month-old Maddy Mitchell's first day of day care, which was May 19, 2025. Maddy's parents never saw her alive again, and Coffey was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter. Now, Maddy's parents have filed a lawsuit against Coffey, alleging gross negligence on her part and claiming that the former day care worker placed the little girl face down, put a blanket over her head, and lay on top of her "until her leg stopped moving."
According to the lawsuit filed in Caldwell County on Monday, Maddy's parents alleged that Coffey was attempting to force Maddy to take a nap and placed her on a sleeping mat. After Maddy got up, Coffey "grabbed" the little girl and placed her back on the mat face down. Coffey then allegedly placed a blanket over Maddy's head, held the toddler's legs down with her own legs, then "laid her upper body over the top of Maddy's upper body, in the area of Maddy's upper torso and neck."
Coffey allegedly remained on top of Maddy, who kicked her free leg "for several minutes until her leg stopped moving." According to the lawsuit, Coffey remained on top of the toddler "while scrolling on her phone."
After a while, Coffey got up, left Maddy on the floor, and continued her work at the day care. She did not check Maddy again for three hours while the girl was motionless under the blanket. When she finally checked Maddy, the little girl was "already dead" and in the early stages of rigor mortis. First responders arrived, but there was nothing left for them to do.
Maddy's death was ruled a homicide, the cause stated as smothering from compression asphyxia.
Maddy's parents are seeking a jury trial to determine compensatory and punitive damages. Coffey's legal team has not yet responded to the filing in court.
Coffey's involuntary manslaughter case is ongoing; she bonded out of the Caldwell County Detention Center not long after her arrest. Her next court appearance for her criminal trial has not yet been scheduled.
Local NBC affiliate WCNC reported that Creative Beginnings was shut down after the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services suspended the facility's license.
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