Parents who dropped off their children at Sandtown Middle School on Wednesday didn’t seem too worried, considering it was the first time children have returned to class since 28 kids were hospitalized on Valentine’s Day after eating candy of an unknown origin.
“I’m quite sure it’s something, some bad substance, but I really just hope they find the individual who is putting the candy out – that’s most important,” said parent Reggie Jackson. “I’m a single father, three boys, so I really try to educate my sons on the awareness of drugs and things that they might eat or drink or give out, so I’m just blessed.”
The children who ate “heart-shaped lollipops” and “rice krispy treats” appeared “disoriented, hallucinating with watery, red eyes and frantically crying off and on,” according to a report from the Fulton County School Police Department. Other symptoms were stomach pains, headache and dizziness.
Fulton County Schools submitted the candy to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for testing. The results of those tests have not been released and interviews were conducted among students throughout the President’s Day holiday weekend.
Wednesday, extra school counselors were on hand to support the students. Some parents told 11Alive they want to see more immediate answers.
"I have little patience until we get down to the bottom of this,” said parent Marvin Bullock. “That’s all we can do.”
Another parent said he was shocked they were already talking about drugs at the middle school level.
“What these kids are doing nowadays, I couldn’t tell you,” said parent Anthony Scott. “I mean, it’s just crazy.”
The GBI said testing the candy is a high priority but have not given any more information about when those test results will be available.
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