(ROCKVILLE, Md.) — Three children have been hospitalized after falling sick when they found and ingested a container of what they thought to be candy.
The incident occurred on Monday when three 7-year-old students became sick at College Gardens Elementary School in Rockville, Maryland — approximately 15 miles north of Washington, D.C. — and went to the nurse complaining of dizziness, according to the Montgomery County Police Department.
“The investigation by detectives determined that a group of students found a container of blue items that they believed to be candy,” authorities said.
The three children went to the school nurse who subsequently called emergency medical services. The children were taken to a local area hospital as a precaution and treated there following the incident.
It is unclear if the container was found on school property or was found elsewhere.
While none of the items were recovered during the police investigation, “based on toxicology of some of the victims, investigators believe that the items may have been a methamphetamine related drug, such as Adderall or MDMA (ecstasy or Molly),” police said.
“I am relieved that the students will ultimately be fine, but in many ways, what happened today is frightening,” said Chief Marcus Jones. “I hope that it serves as a powerful motivator for parents to keep having the difficult conversations with their children about the dangers of taking or eating unknown substances.”
Authorities still aren’t completely sure what the students ingested on Monday but all three of the students have since been discharged from the hospital and are home with their parents.
The Montgomery County Police Department says the investigation into the incident is currently active and ongoing.
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