Child’s Previous Daycare Sent Outstanding Balance To Collections Without Reminding Me I Owed Them

So today my dad calls me letting me know he received mail in my name for Synergetic Communication Inc. as to why he received it? I don’t know. He was an emergency address contact for my daughter’s daycare…but my address was listed on file in all her paperwork when we enrolled.

I have received quite literally zero communication from them reminding me that I had an outstanding balance that needed to be paid. The bill comes to $956 + 25.49 in interest. Total: $981.49.

I have not had a W-2 job since Oct 2025, until literally June 1st, 2 weeks ago. I’m a single mom, 100% parent, and honestly just forgot about it because I’ve been struggling to get by doing loads of 1099, hardly getting the bills for living paid.

SO, this daycare in question I pulled her out of because they had given her thrush (she was 6m old) by reusing her bottles. She was so sick and in pain, she couldn’t even attend daycare for 2 weeks of the balance that’s owed, partial weeks the other 1.5.

I was very upset and angry that their negligence caused my baby harm and reported them to the state. I received notice that my complaint was sustained…meaning my complaint was valid and proved to be true.

Anyways, I’m feeling like the reason they never contacted me regarding the balance is quite literally out of spite. Out of retaliation for me getting their daycare dinged by the state. One of the employees also contacted me a few days after I pulled her out of daycare just talking to me crazy, threatening to contact my child’s dad and tell him things regarding my daughter and I. She was mad I got her in trouble for reusing bottles.

Can I do anything about this??? I really can’t afford to pay this right now, I receive no extra income, it’s just me and my daughter and yall see this economy.

My credit score is 762 and I really am afraid to see it harmed by this, I’ve always been pretty smart with money and had my finances together but having a baby on my lonesome has definitely set me back and things are just finally turning around…help!!😩