Park Hills daycare death lawsuit moves to Missouri Supreme Court

NOTE: Video from this story is from FOX 2's May 23, 2025 report.

PARK HILLS, Mo. - A lawsuit from the family of a three-year-old boy who died at a Park Hills daycare has been transferred to the Missouri Supreme Court.

In May, Conrad Ashcraft died while in the care of Poppy’s Playhouse 2 in Park Hills, Missouri. The facility has since lost its license.

Last week, the St. Francois County Sheriff's Office handed the lawsuit over to a special prosecutor. On Wednesday, Missouri court records showed the case was transferred to the Missouri Supreme Court, citing a judge's recusal, though not providing a specific reason for that recusal.

Several weeks later, Ashcraft's official cause of death is still not been released.

A state inspection says a caregiver at the daycare put Ashcraft under an