Parents suing Agoura Hills daycare for using push pins on kids speak out

WESTWOOD, Calif. (KABC) -- Tutor Time in Agoura Hills is a place where parents entrust their children to the staff. It's a daycare facility for kids six weeks old and up. But several parents are accusing former Tutor Time workers of a shocking form of discipline.

"They would call it 'pica pica.' They would say, 'You are going to get pica, pica,' and they would poke them in the legs with pushpins," said attorney Robert Clayton.

Four families say Tutor Time daycare workers disciplined two years olds by pressing push pins into their legs. The families are now suing Tutor Time, accusing the franchise of assault and battery, failure to report abuse and other offenses.

Nicole says her son didn't tell her "because [the teachers] would hide [the push pins] in their pocket and tap on it to remind them that it was a secret and if they told the parents they would get hurt."

The parents are only using their first names in order to protect the identities of their children.

"How did I not see this? How did I not see that anything was going on?" said Krista, who is also suing Tutor Time.

"I would take them to school and I've never seen them throw such a fit, screaming, crying," said Debbie. "I felt like they were being tortured."

The two daycare workers accused of the abuse no longer work at Tutor Time, which is a national chain of learning centers.

The State Department of Social Services conducted an unannounced visit last May and found evidence that violations had occurred. Three staff members were terminated, including one who knew about the abuse, but failed to report it.

The company denied Eyewitness News' request for an interview, but issued a written statement Tuesday saying it works hard to ensure children's well-being.

"We train our employees regularly and emphasize the use of our positive guidance policy for behavior management," the company said in a statement.

The Los Angeles County Department of Social Services is investigating Tutor Time. In the meantime, the parents are hoping their lawsuit will keep other kids from having to go through the very unwanted practice of "pica pica."

"I want to make sure that those two teachers never work in another child care ever again and never do this to children again," Nicole said. "I want my son to one day say, 'Thank you mommy that we stopped them from hurting any other children.'"