TOMS RIVER – Counselors at a township summer camp have been suspended this week after a mother reported that her young son was forced to sit on a hot blacktop, suffering second-degree burns, a municipal spokeswoman said.

The suspension is pending the outcome of an investigation into what happened Monday at the day camp for local children, said Stacy Georgaklis, a spokeswoman for Toms River’s municipal government.

The Toms River Police Department on Tuesday evening referred all questions about the matter to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.

The prosecutor's office has since referred the matter to the State Division of Child Protection and Permanency, New Jersey's child welfare agency, Georgaklis said.

Toms River’s Youth Services runs an eight-week summer camp program for children ages 6 to 11. The camp program began June 24. The summer camp includes games, sports, arts and crafts and trips.

Sandra Rodriguez Santora said her son and his fellow campers were disciplined Monday after they made a mess of an art room.

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The children were required to sit on a blacktop outdoors, while their counselors played basketball. If the children complained about the discipline, they were warned that they would be penalized with an additional 10 minutes on the blacktop, Rodriguez Santora said.

As a consequence of being made to sit on the hot surface, she said her son suffered second-degree burns to his bottom and hands.

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Her son had used his hands in an effort to protect his backside from additional burns as he was made to remain seated on the pavement, she said.

Rodriguez Santora posted photos of her son’s blistered hands on her personal Facebook account Monday night. She gave permission to the Asbury Park Press a day later to retell her son’s story and make the photos public.

“I’m disgusted,” she wrote on her Facebook page. “This is child endangerment and no accountability.”

The municipal website tells the public that “Youth Services offers residents of Toms River a safe, supervised, inexpensive alternative for childcare through the After School Care and Summer Camp Programs. … The programs at Youth Services offer children a well-rounded environment emphasizing respect and encompassing activities to exercise the body, mind and spirit.”

The township sent a letter to camp parents on Tuesday assuring them that it is "taking action to address the situation and to implement procedures to prevent a re-occurrence." You can read the full text of the letter below.

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Erik Larsen: 732-682-9359 or elarsen@gannettnj.com