GOVERNOR RILEY SIGNS "BABY DOUGLAS BILL"
May 20, 2004
Cunningham, Bounds represented Mr. Robert and Mrs. Mary Hernandez in a
civil lawsuit filed in the Circuit Court of Mobile County, Alabama (CV-03-00423)
concerning the death of their three-month old baby boy, Douglas Hernandez.
Douglas died as a consequence of an improper and inappropriate administration
of drugs by his daycare center workers. The case was settled during discovery.
Research revealed that the State of Alabama had no law prohibiting the
administration of drugs by daycare workers to children. Cunningham, Bounds
assisted the Hernandez family in lobbying the Alabama Legislature to pass
an appropriate bill. The “Baby Douglas Bill,” named for Mr.
and Mrs. Hernandez’s son, Douglas, now makes it a crime in Alabama
for daycare workers to intentionally drug children to change their behavior
beyond what is medically prescribed or recklessly administer medication
without regard to a child’s health, safety and welfare.