TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa police officers are investigating what led several children at a charter school to become sick from eating pieces of unlabeled candy Thursday.
Officers say just after 1:30 p.m., school staff at New Springs Charter School at 2410 E Busch Boulevard called them about several children who fell ill after eating some candy.
Employees reportedly found a “clear cylindrical container, with no label or markings” with what looked like two pieces of “Nerds” candy inside. Authorities said the description of the candy sounded much like legally sold Delta-9 THC products.
Eleven children between the ages of 9 and 11 reported symptoms of dizziness, nausea, lethargy and numbness in their legs and arms. Officers noticed every kid who reported symptoms also said they ate some candy.
The kids were picked up by their parents — three of them were driven to the hospital as a precaution. None of the students suffered any serious injuries.
After further investigation, police suspect one of the students may have brought the candy to school that day.
Authorities continue to investigate where the candy came from, who brought it to the school and where that person might’ve found it.
Here are some tips for parents to keep children safe from incidents like this one, per the Tampa Police Department:
- Teach your kids to always ask you, or a trusted adult, before eating anything they find, especially if it's not in a familiar location.
- Have an age-appropriate discussion with your children. If they are old enough to understand, explain that some items that look like everyday candy might contain ingredients that could make them sick.
- If you believe your child may have ingested THC-infused items, contact Poison Control by calling 800.222.1222, contact your child's primary care provider or seek medical attention.
