Westminster-based child care facility being sued over E. coli outbreak

May 22--A Westminster-based child care facility is being sued after three parents claimed the facility and its safety procedures led to their children, some of whom they say were hospitalized, contracting E. coli.

Justin Gates and Emily Starrs, Adam and Rebecca Gorman, and Tim and Meghan Rose are suing Chelsea's Gentle Care Child Development Center Inc. on behalf of their children. Chelsea's Gentle Care, now called Fresh Start Early Learning Center, is owned by Tonya Harrison and has two locations in Westminster.

The Times contacted Harrison twice seeking comment. Both times Harrison said her insurance company would contact the paper, but as of 9 p.m. Sunday, the company had not responded.

In May 2015, Chelsea's Gentle Care was investigated by the Baltimore County Health Department after a child who attended the child care facility tested positive for Shiga toxin-producing E. coli. The Carroll County Health Department, and the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene also investigated the child care facility and recommended that it stop operating to prevent the spread of E. coli, according to the lawsuit filed by the three families.

The Carroll County Health Department and DHMH found that there were possibly 23 victims of the E. coli strain at the facility, according to the lawsuit.

Chelsea's Gentle Care was allowed to reopen on June 9, 2015, after corrective actions -- including installing paper towel dispensers, and having the employees and children who attended the facility at the 531 Old Westminster Pike location cleared before they could come back -- had been taken, according to the lawsuit.

The majority of the E. coli cases were thought to have stemmed from May 18, 2015, according to the lawsuit. One of the children who contracted E. coli on May 18 was the child of Starrs and Gates.

The child developed a fever and gastrointestinal distress, according to the lawsuit. His conditioned worsened and he was ultimately taken to Johns Hopkins Hospital where he was diagnosed with hemolytic uremic syndrome secondary to E. coli, according to the lawsuit.

As part of his treatment, the child required dialysis and a nasogastric tube for feeding because of damage to his kidneys, according to the lawsuit.

Adam and Rebecca Gorman's two children fell ill due to E. coli between May 20 and May 21, 2015. The two children were sick for several weeks with symptoms including nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, according to the lawsuit.

Rebecca Gorman also became ill with E. coli as a result of caring for her children when they were ill, according to the lawsuit.

Tim and Meghan Roses' son became sick around May 23, 2015, and was air-lifted to Johns Hopkins on May 27 due to the severity of his illness. He was diagnosed with hemolytic uremic syndrome, according to the lawsuit.

The child was hospitalized for a month and needed dialysis for 26 days, according to the lawsuit.

In the lawsuit, the three sets of parents are alleging that Chelsea's Gentle Care failed to provide a safe environment, failed to maintain sanitary conditions, failed to provide food and beverages that were not contaminated, failed to provide clean spaces for the children, failed to adopt policies that would prevent E. coli, and failed to notify the proper authorities of an illness, among other complaints. There are 13 total complaints, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit claims that the child care facility led to pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost wages, physical impairment, physical disfigurement and emotional distress as well as other damages.

The parents are requesting $75,000 in addition to past and future damages, both economic and noneconomic, as well as attorney fees and court costs.

heather.mongilio@carrollcountytimes.com

410-857-7898

twitter.com/hmongilio

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