Mother of girl, 6, who drank hand sanitizer sues charter school in Gresham

The mother of a young girl who drank hand sanitizer during class at a Gresham neighborhood charter school has filed suit, alleging that teachers failed to prevent her from swallowing the antiseptic product.

The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Cook County Circuit Court, claims that 6-year-old Jamyla Moore suffered “great pain” and permanent “physical impairment” after ingesting the alcohol-based liquid on March 8.

Tanya Davis and J. Taylor, two of Moore’s teachers at LEARN Hunter Perkins Campus, 1700 W. 83rd St., gave the young girl “unsupervised access” to hand sanitizer and allowed her to drink it, the suit alleges.

Afterward, the teachers “failed to seek prompt medical attention,” according to the three-count suit. Moore’s mother, Alexis Anderson, is seeking $30,000 in damages from the school and its charter network.

Hand sanitizer can be harmful to young children if ingested and cause vomiting, seizures or even comas, according to a 2017 study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The LEARN Charter School Network has existed since 2001 and operates about 10 campuses throughout the Chicago area, according to its website.

A representative from the school could not be reached for comment Tuesday evening.