A man and a woman in Virginia have been arrested after seven elementary school children ate gummy bears that were apparently laced with fentanyl.
The incident happened at lunch on Tuesday at Central Elementary School in Amherst County, although the sheriff’s office did not say how the children came into contact with the baggie containing the gummy bears. The investigation, however, led to a search warrant and the arrest of Clifford Dugan and Nicole Sanders, who have been charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Additionally, Dugan has been charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and Sanders has been charged with drug possession.
The sheriff’s office said that Amherst County Public Schools sent a notice to parents Tuesday afternoon saying that seven students had some type of “allergic reaction” to something they ate at lunch. Officials later learned that the children had been sharing gummies from a plastic baggie, which investigators said was positive for fentanyl in a field test. The baggie has been sent to a federal Drug Enforcement Agency lab for further testing.
Five of the seven students sought medical treatment. Two were taken to a hospital by Amherst County Emergency Medical Services, and three others were taken by their parents.
Dugan and Sanders are being held at the Amherst County Detention Facility on bonds of $1,500 and $1,000.
The sheriff’s office said that the investigation is ongoing and that additional charges are pending.
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[Featured image: Nicole Sanders and Clifford Dugan/Blue Ridge Regional Jail]
