Published: March 18, 2008 08:43 am      

Woman files suit against United Methodist

By Sean Bailey / Staff Writer

A Woodbine woman is suing Grace on the Hill United Methodist Church and employees of the church’s preschool Little Lambs after allegedly suffering a nose bleed, a panic attack and other distress caused by a supervisor at the preschool.

According to documents filed in Whitley County Circuit Court on March 7, Madonna Parsons is accusing Little Lambs Director Angela Peace of assault, harassment, and other charges, while Parsons was an employee of the school. She is also suing the pre-school’s management, and by extension the church, for improperly supervising the employees of the preschool.

The suit claims that Parsons was scolded by her supervisor, Peace, after Parsons allowed her own daughter to eat part of her lunch on June 4 of last year. Parsons’ daughter was a student at the school.

Parsons alleges that the abuse continued on June 5 when Peace “approached her from behind, grabbed her by the arm, and pulled her into the kitchen.”

In the kitchen, the lawsuit claims, Peace began waving her finger in Parsons’ face claiming Parsons wasn’t a “team player” and that she was walking around with a “pissed off face.” The suit mentions that Parson’s face is partially disfigured from the effects of Bell’s Palsy — which according to the suit, makes Peace’s alleged comments, “highly offensive.”

As a “direct and proximate” result of the comments and actions of Peace, the suit claims that Parsons suffered panic attacks, feelings of belittlement and a nosebleed.

The suit lists seven counts against Peace and the other defendants. It alleges assault, harassment and false imprisonment for the incident in which Parsons was allegedly pulled into the kitchen. The suit also lists a count of invasion of privacy/false light for Peace’s alleged offensive comments about Parsons in front of other employees. In addition, the invasion of privacy/false light count states that Peace led other teachers and employees to believe that Parsons had been terminated by the school. The suit contains a count of infliction of emotional distress that stemmed from the offensive comments and actions Peace allegedly inflicted on Parsons.

The suit also lists Assistant Pastor Susan Elkow, Grace on the Hill Church, and both the Corbin district and Kentucky conference of the United Methodist Church as defendants in the case for “negligent supervision” of their employees.

Pastor Tim Thompson chose not to comment on the case, other than to note that it was an employment issue and that neither parents nor students were involved in the case.

Parsons is no longer employed by Little Lambs preschool.

Gambrel and Wilder Law Offices are representing Parsons. The suit seeks punitive damages, court costs, a trial by jury and any other relief to which she may be entitled.