6 Year Old's Head Sliced Open in McDonald's Play Tunnel

HOUSTON (KHOU)—Restaurant play area -- a welcome retreat to many kids -- will never seem as inviting to a local mother nursing an injured son.

"I trusted them to be safe and now my son is hurt," said Nicole Sierra. "My child is hurt and it should have never happened."

Nicole’s son, 6-year-old Dominic Sierra, is recovering from a deep gash to his forehead. According to his mom, the injury occurred when he slid into an exposed nail inside a plastic tube at a McDonald's on Uvalde Street in east Houston.

"It was in the play area where kids just jump around," said Sierra. "They just play like they’re supposed to."

Dominic lost a lot of blood and required treatment at a local hospital. His mother claims restaurant employees never apologized for what happened. She’s retained an attorney and filed a lawsuit against McDonald's.

"I think this will happen again because you have companies that are not willing to do what’s necessary to make sure that the property is safe," said attorney Jason Gibson of the Gibson Law Firm.

A spokesperson for McDonald's said the incident is still under investigation, adding that the company has a "long-standing commitment to the safety and well-being of customers, especially children."

Under federal law, restaurant play areas must abide by the standards established by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

But there are no government agencies that actively enforce the guidelines, leaving it up to the individual business owners to follow the rules.

Nicole Sierra said she just wants to make sure what happened to her son never happens again.

"I don’t want anyone else to have to experience this," she said.