Family Care Professional Accused of Assaulting Child

The licensed director of a child care center in Billings, Montana was recently accused of harming one of the children in his care. Paul Nottingham, licensed director of The Children’s Cloud, has been charged with a felony count of assaulting a minor after a baby boy in his care sustained injuries.

Nottingham’s position involves holding a professional license. Along with facing criminal penalties, he could also face the loss of his license or similar forms of disciplinary action from a licensing agency or body as his case proceeds.

If you ever find yourself in this position, our Professional License Defense Team at the LLF National Law Firm is available to help you defend yourself, your future, and your career. Don’t wait for the problem to become increasingly complex—offer yourself peace of mind now by calling our offices at 888-535-3686 or submitting your information through our online contact form.

The Facts of the Case

The facts of the case are summarized below. As the case is continuing to develop, it remains unclear the extent to which these allegations will prevent Nottingham from continuing to serve as the licensed director of a family childcare center (which is different from a typical daycare in various ways, such as being based in a private residence):

• At an unspecified date in 2022, parents of a child who hadn’t yet reached two years of age picked him up from The Children’s Cloud in Billings. They had to take the child to the emergency room, as the child had apparently sustained an injury.
• Medical staff at the hospital discovered the child had a fractured femur. They determined this to be an uncommon injury in a child too young to walk. However, because such an injury is common in cases of child abuse, hospital staff reported the injury to Child Protective Services.
• When speaking with officials, the parents indicated they had taken their child to a birthday party the night before the day that their child appeared to sustain the injury. They confirmed their child showed no signs of injury or distress at this time.
• The boy’s mother went on, explaining that about half an hour after dropping the child off in Nottingham’s care, she received a call from Nottingham stating the child sustained an injury during diaper changing.
• In September of 2022, the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office began formally investigating Nottingham. In 2023, investigators had discovered Nottingham was likely caring for more children than regulations permitted.

In October of 2024, prosecutors filed charges against Nottingham. Prosecutors have charged Nottingham with one count of assaulting a minor under 36 months of age and an alternative count of assaulting a minor as a first offense.

Licensing Agencies Don’t Always Need a Conviction to Take Legal Action

Nottingham potentially faces significant jail time if he’s convicted. However, in many cases, even if a licensed professional isn’t convicted of a crime, a licensing agency may nevertheless take disciplinary action that could negatively affect their career.

Keep this in mind if you’re a licensed professional of any kind (such as a daycare provider, teacher, etc.) facing allegations that could give a licensing agency reason to launch an investigation of its own. Our Professional License Defense Team at the LLF National Law Firm is available to provide the representation you need in these circumstances. Get started today by calling us at 888-535-3686 or submitting your information through our online form.