Six children from a DC middle school were reported to have become sick after ingesting some sort of "edible," with one of the victims being sent to the hospital.
In a letter, DC Public Schools (DCPS) confirmed that the incident stems from one student bringing the edible and then sharing it with "several classmates." Shortly after that, all of the students involved felt ill.
DC Middle School Reports Possible Overdose of Students
Principal Katreena Shelby sent a letter to parents, saying that school administrators received a report that one student brought a food item containing a "controlled substance" to school and shared it with other children. She noted that after they consumed the item, the students all started feeling sick.
The incident later involved D.C. Fire and EMS, which confirmed that their personnel examined the six children and decided to bring one of them to the hospital. However, they were not able to confirm whether or not the patient had overdosed, according WTOP News.
One parent at a different DCPS school, Billie Wright, echoed concerns shared by many who saw the news of the affected children. They asked where the school staff were during the time of the incident and how the school can prevent it from happening again.
Shelby noted that the school had already been in contact with the families of the students involved in the incident. This was so they could offer support services and ensure that all appropriate disciplinary responses are taken.
While police said that the incident involved "some sort of edible," they did not clarify what kind of drug may have been involved. Additionally, law enforcement personnel said they were not investigating anything criminal at the school, according to WJLA.
Unidentified Controlled Substance
Furthermore, the school's letter that was sent to parents noted that they would continue ongoing talks with students to discuss the dangers of drugs. Wright also said that she was planning to talk to her own child, and hoped that other parents would do the same.
She said that they would teach their child to be wary of other students, especially those who do not normally give them stuff, when they offer them something, like candy. This is one of the conversations that Wright believes she and other parents should immediately have.
Wright added that they are committed to the health and safety of their students, noting that keeping families informed about incidents that occur during the school day is crucial for maintaining strong partnerships with parents and families, as per WUSA9.
