Outrage as boy's hands burnt at summer camp as a punishment

Sandra's son suffered serious burns as a result of the punishment. Source: Facebook

The children were forced to sit on scolding hot pavement.

Three staff members from the Toms River Youth Services summer program, in New Jersey, USA, have been suspended after a mother found her son's hands covered in nasty burns.

When asked by his mother how his hands came to be burnt, he explained that he and his fellow camp mates had been forced to sit on the boiling asphalt playground as punishment for "messing up the art room", Patch.com reported.

The children were told if they complained about the hot pavement, they would be forced to stay for an extra 10 minutes.

Asphalt can reported reach temperatures close to 50C degrees when the air temperature is around 25C degrees. It was reported that Toms River reached over 30 degrees during the week of the punishment.

The boy's mother - Sandra - shared photos of her son's blistered fingertips in a Facebook post that has since been made private.

Boy sat on a book "to protect himself".

Another mum commented on the post to say that her child had sat on a book to protect himself.

Sandra responding that her son "put his hands under his butt to stop the burning," but had still suffered significant burns on his bottom.

Suspended.

Stacy Georgaklis, the township’s public information officer told Patch.com, that "the three program counsellors (staff members) involved in the incident were immediately and indefinitely suspended."

"The township cannot comment further on this incident until those investigations are complete," she said.

According to a press release from the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office in New Jersey - the Special Victim's Unit, Toms River Police Department and the Division of Child Permanency & Protection have all been notified about the incident.

"The allegation, facts and circumstances were subsequently reviewed by the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Special Victim's Unit," the release said.

"At this time, this matter does not appear to be criminal in nature, as there was no criminal intent associated with the actions of the camp counsellors."