A civil lawsuit against three people who operated a daycare in North Hall County accused of improperly giving medications to children now has 13 additional families seeking damages.
The lawsuit was initially filed on January 15 against Stacie Fuller Young, her husband David Young, and Ptiery Verby-Sunshine Edge, all of Gainesville. The suit came days after a Hall County Sheriff's Office investigation that determined Stacie Young and Edge were giving Benadryl and melatonin to at least one child in their care at the home on Odum Smallwood Road.
The suit was filed by Jonathan Kankolenski and Macy Turner, parents of one of the children allegedly given the medications. The two are represented by Gainesville-based Weaver Law Firm.
Attorney Mike Weaver with the firm indicated to AccessWDUN in January that Kankolenski and Turner were just one of several families planning to file suit against the daycare operators. On Friday, the firm filed a motion to have 13 additional families added to the suit.
The names of the parents joining the suit are listed below:
- Janelle and Shaun Bowker
- Deanna Bradberry and Taylor Marett
- Andrew and Chelsea Bryant
- Brett and Katie Hall
- Richard and Stephanie Fite
- Kelsey and Robert Jackson
- Allison and Zackary Lathem
- Deanna and Patrick Messner
- Candice and Gary Mintier
- Tyler and Whitney Nguyen
- Brent and Martha Juliana Roberts
- Karl Gillis and Callyssa Tyner
- Chad and Malloree Weaver
One of the defendants, Edge, was ruled to be in default by Judge Larry A. Baldwin, II after not responding to the civil suit within the allotted time. Stacie and David Young did respond, claiming they had no knowledge of the medications being given to children.
Judge Baldwin filed a proposed order on Friday that would allow the 13 additional families to be added to the suit and would maintain Edge's default status would "not be disturbed as to the originating Complaint for Damages."
The lawsuit is seeking punitive damages and for the defendants to pay the plaintiffs' attorneys' fees. It also asks for a jury trial, but no trial date has been set as of April 15.
Edge and Stacie Young were both arrested for the alleged incidents on misdemeanor reckless conduct charges on January 14. Both were released from jail shortly after on bond. In the months following their arrests, the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning investigated and ruled that the daycare had been operating without proper licensing.
