Children, staffers stung; learning center to reopen

Staff report

BOARDMAN

The Zion Christian Early Learning Center’s playground will open again, weather permitting, on Monday after shutting down when a swarm of bees attacked two toddlers Wednesday morning.

Pastor Duane Jesse, executive director of the center located on Canfield Road, said a swarm of bees attacked a boy and girl under 19 months old while playing in a small playhouse.

When the boy ran out screaming, the staffers ran into action.

One staffer, he said, used her shirt to wrap around the girl in the playhouse and safely removed her from the area to treat her injuries. The boy was treated for a few stings at the school while the girl was transported to Akron Children’s Hospital in Boardman by emergency responders with her mother and the school’s administrator.

Four staffers were stung and three received more than 20 stings. The day care contacted two exterminators to remove the hive and any trace of the bees in the area.

Pastor Jesse said exterminators advised them not to use the area for two days, and they removed the playhouse.

He said the center feels terrible about the incident and apologizes to the families affected.

“While I do believe we did everything we could have done, we want to do things better,” he said.