A 4-year-old girl had her mouth taped shut by her teacher at a New York school, a lawsuit alleges.

The family of Angela Amedeo alleged in a lawsuit filed in Queens (N.Y.) Supreme Court that a Flushing Fields Play School teacher identified only as Ms. Sandy taped the girl's mouth shut after she spoke during quiet time, the New York Post said Sunday.

The teacher allegedly used tape routinely to punish such class infractions, the lawsuit alleges.

Court papers say Amedeo has been afraid of the dark, has nightmares and replicates what happened by repeatedly placing Scotch tape on her mouth, as a result of the alleged August 2007 taping incident.

The lawsuit names the city, the local Department of Education, the Parks Department and two teachers as co-defendants.

City Law Department spokeswoman Laura Postiglione told the Post her office would thoroughly investigate the family's allegations.

Our office has not yet received the legal papers in this case, but we will review the matter thoroughly, she said.

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