A Tennessee girl has missed nearly a month of school this year over suspensions tied to her alleged foul body odor, NBC affiliate WSAV reported.
The Washington County school reportedly sent the 8-year-old home several times since October, describing her smell as so potent that it distracted teachers and classmates. Suspension documents for an incident last week claimed the second grader did not bathe for the two days straight, slept in her clothes and couldn’t remember the last time she took a bath or brushed her teeth, WSAV said.
A school notice from October warned that suspensions would continue until there were "corrective measures." The child has been suspended at least seven times and missed a total of 24 school days, according to the station.
The girl's mother, Krystal Hensley, denied the accusations, saying her daughter takes daily baths. “You go to school to learn, not to be sent home,” she told WSAV.
The Department of Child Services investigated the issue at one point, Hensley said. The agency told WSAV they did not have an open case.