Zap Your Child at Work Day

TALLAHASSEE (CN) - A state prison worker claims a jail guard Tasered her son during "Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day." She says a jail sergeant zapped her son while "attempting to demonstrate a weapons, contraband and security arsenal to several kids".

Jeanina Jones sued the Florida Department of Corrections in Leon County Court.

She says she took her young son the Franklin Correctional Institution for Take Your Kids to Work Day on April 23, 2009, and a sergeant Tasered the boy, apparently accidentally.

"During the special event, [her son] was Tas[er]ed and injured with a hand-held stun gun used by Sgt. Walter Schmidt Jr., a correctional officer and employee of defendant, without plaintiff's permission," Jones says.

She did not sue Schmidt.

She says her son was injured while Schmidt was "attempting to demonstrate a weapons, contraband and security arsenal to several kids" at the jail, and that Schmidt "engaged in inappropriate conduct when he Tas[er]ed" her son.

She calls it a "negligent or wrongful" act.

She seeks damages from the state under the Florida Tort Claims Act.

She says she complained to the defendant and to the Department of Insurance and demanded damages in May 2009, and they denied her claim in January 2010.

She is represented by Daryl Parks with Parks & Crump.

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