Lance's Journal: A Little Girl's Miraculous Recovery, Mar. 29
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Updated: 11:33 AM Nov 22, 2011
Lance's Journal: A Little Girl's Miraculous Recovery, Mar. 29
Lincoln
In her brief lifetime, Alexis Verzal has lived through a world of ups and downs. And her parents have experienced an incredible range of emotions in the past two years. 10/11's Lance Schwartz catches up with the Lincoln family.
Posted: 8:00 PM Mar 29, 2010
Reporter: Lance Schwartz
Email Address: lance.schwartz@1011now.copm
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It will be an emotional weekend for Brandon and Tiffany Verzal. This coming Saturday will mark the 2-year anniversary that their daughter was injured at a College Station, Texas daycare facility.

Alexis has made a great deal of progress since we first told you about her in May of 2008. It was a scene right out of a horror movie for the Verzal's. Their 14-month-old daughter had sustained what Police called "non-accidental" head trauma at her daycare facility. Their road to recovery led back to Nebraska.

Brandon says, "When she got to Lincoln 2 years ago in April, she couldn't see, she couldn't move her arms and legs. She couldn't talk, she obviously couldn't walk or crawl and so the progress she's made is just unbelievable." Tiffany adds, "The thing that's most exciting about Alexis's progress is that it hasn't failed yet, there are still days or weeks when a therapist or a doctor or whomever it is that looks at me and goes, 'I didn't think we were going to ever see this and it happens all the time with her right hand and her fingers moving and things like that but it's we didn't really think that she was going to see, and now she can see."

And what is also very important is the 3-years old's ability to communicate, "We are thankful for that every single day." These days, Alexis can't stop talking. Her Mom says, "She goes through the store and says 'I want this and I want that,' and then she usually gets it because we're like thank God that she can tell us that she wants it!"

Brandon says Alexis is still going to therapy 5 days a week, "She doesn't fight it. She knows that what she's doing is helping to make her better and she's determined to do those things to help make her better. I mean for a 3-year old to do that it's just unheard of and she does it every day."

On the legal side, In November, after a month-long trial, the day-care provider was found not guilty of causing serious bodily injury to a child. The Verzal's have chosen to accept the verdict, move on and concentrate on their daughter's rehab.


Latest Comments

Posted by: Another Texas Mom Location: College Station, TX on Apr 6, 2010 at 08:37 PM

The reason the woman was found not guilt was not because she didn't harm Alexis but that she was found not to have done it "intentually". That was what she was on trial for "intentually caused bodily harm". Once again our laws protect the guilty.
Posted by: Donna , RN in Lincoln on Apr 6, 2010 at 08:40 AM

TexasMom, as an ER nurse, I'm sure that everyone that saw her at the time of her injuries DID think it was SBS. If this child did have blood vessels that ruptured in her brain, it would look like SBS. I dont think the poster was not being tactful, just stating that the babysitter was found not guilty and therefore the quote from the article, "2-year anniversary that their daughter was injured at a College Station, Texas daycare facility" was incorrect. I'm sure all are thankful she is recovering well!
Posted by: Anonymous on Apr 5, 2010 at 07:51 AM

Go Alexis! My prayers are with you and your family. You look SO much better than you did when we first heard your story!
Posted by: TexasMom Location: College Station, Texas on Apr 4, 2010 at 10:09 PM

I suggest the commenter below look up shaken baby syndrome. The simple fact is that there is no other injury or condition like it. Unfortunately, actual facts often get clouded or muddied in court cases. All of the doctors that examined Alexis at the time of her injuries agreed it was shaken baby syndrome. Also, look up tact. Commenting on this story by stating that the child wasn't injured is hardly helpful or tactful. Regardless of what you believe happened, the child and her amazing progress are the point. Kudos to Alexis and her parents for showing what is possible!
Posted by: Lincoln Mom on Apr 3, 2010 at 08:50 PM

I remember reading about this child and the court case. Alexis wasnt hurt by her babysitter. Her head had enlarged over the few months leading up to weakened blood vessels opening up and bleeding into the brain. This was "non accidental" because this was something that happened within her brain. Not something that was done to her.
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