Three US prison employees have been sacked for demonstrating their stun guns by zapping children. Skip related content
Related photos / videos US jail workers fired for stun gun stunt More than 40 children were given electric shocks at three Florida prisons on April 23 - America's national Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work day.
As part of demonstrations at two jails, children held hands in a circle, and one was shocked with the stun gun, passing the shock around the circle. At another prison, children were shocked individually.
The incidents led to the dismissal of three employees and the resignation of two others, the Department of Corrections said.
The children, ranged in age from 5 to 17, felt the shocks either directly or indirectly, but none of the children were seriously hurt or taken to the hospital, the department said.
All of the children had parents who work for the department and some parents gave permission for their children to be shocked, but that did not excuse officers for using the stun guns, Department of Corrections Secretary Walter McNeil said.
He added: "We believe this behaviour is inexcusable. I apologise to the children and parents. None of these kids should have been exposed to these devices."
