State officials are monitoring a day-care center in Kentucky after an investigation revealed that employees created a “game” called “smack for a snack,” in which they swatted children with a ruler before giving them a yogurt.
The investigation found that two male staffers at New Creation Childcare in Lexington required all school-age children on Aug. 4 to line up and get hit on the hand or leg if they wanted a yogurt, the Washington Post reported.
Multiple children interviewed by investigators confirmed that they were forced to be smacked before getting a yogurt. At least two children suffered bruising on their legs, and one of the employees was cited for second-degree assault.
The two male employees suggested it had been intended as a game and said more than 20 children were hit, according to the Washington Post, which cited the report from the investigation.
The Division of Regulated Child Care is now monitoring the day-care center to ensure it complies with sanctions imposed after the Office of Inspector General investigation, the Post reported.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Donald Trump Is TIME's 2024 Person of the Year
- TIME’s Top 10 Photos of 2024
- Why Gen Z Is Drinking Less
- The Best Movies About Cooking
- Why Is Anxiety Worse at Night?
- A Head-to-Toe Guide to Treating Dry Skin
- Why Street Cats Are Taking Over Urban Neighborhoods
- Column: Jimmy Carter’s Global Legacy Was Moral Clarity
Write to Katie Reilly at Katie.Reilly@time.com