A group of Arizona mothers has taken legal action against a day care owner, alleging she mistreated their children by punishing them in a distressing manner. The mothers accuse the provider of confining children in a “dark room” as a form of discipline.

The local CBS affiliate, KPHO, reported on the situation after speaking with three of the mothers involved in the lawsuit. The day care in question operates from a private home in Coolidge, located approximately 55 miles southeast of Phoenix. In their lawsuit filed in Maricopa County, the mothers of 19 children allege that the day care owner used the dark room as a threat and punishment. Among those speaking out are Sara MacDowell, Veronica Zarate, and Christiana Klosterboer, who shared their concerns about the changes in their children’s behavior after attending the day care.

Sara MacDowell, who sent her five children to this facility, noticed troubling changes in their behavior after several months. She recounted to KPHO how one of her daughters began experiencing severe night terrors, waking up in the middle of the night screaming. Her other children developed an intense fear of the dark and being alone, expressing fears that “monsters are going to get me.”

This distressing behavior led MacDowell to place a hidden tape recorder in her son’s car seat, which recorded a conversation between the day care owner and the children. The recording, shared with KPHO, reveals the owner telling a child, “Okay, you go in the dark room,” and explaining, “[B]ecause that’s where bad kids go.” The audio captures children desperately screaming, “Let me out!”

Both Veronica Zarate and Christiana Klosterboer reported similar stories from their children about the “dark room.” Their accounts further corroborate the allegations, painting a consistent picture of the troubling environment at the day care.

Zarate and Klosterboer’s children also reportedly told their mothers about the “dark room.”

Law&Crime reached out to the attorneys representing the mothers but did not receive a response. KPHO reported that the day care owner is not currently facing criminal charges, but one of the mothers filed a police report against her.