Parents sue Pa. day care that they say used pickling salt to discipline children

Lawsuit says Pa. day care used salt to punish kids

SOUTH CONNELLSVILLE, Pa. — Parents of seven children who were allegedly fed pickling salt that can cause nausea, vomiting and burns as punishment have sued a southwestern Pennsylvania day care center.

State welfare officials investigated the allegations against the Regional Family YMCA of Laurel Highlands in South Connellsville in January 2009 but haven’t said what they found.

The lawsuit filed Wednesday alleges children were given alum pickling salt as punishment and, last year, the center’s director confirmed the substance was at the center of the allegations.

The lawsuit says the children say their mouths burned but they are too young to explain what happened in more detail. A supervisor allegedly told one of the parents what happened.

The center has yet to respond to the lawsuit.

Information from: Herald-Standard, www.heraldstandard.com/