Latest news with #FortDearbornElementary
Daily Mail
15-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Chicago elementary school kids are rushed to hospital after eating weed-laced cookies in class
A routine school day turned into a real-life horror show when a batch of marijuana-laced cookies landed 11 elementary students in the hospital. The unsettling incident unfolded Tuesday afternoon at Fort Dearborn Elementary School in Chicago when nearly two dozen children, aged 11 to 14, unknowingly ate cookies believed to be laced with THC. Staff members said a student had passed out cookies to a group of kids in a sixth grade class who later got sick, sparking panic among staff, WGN reported. As parents piled into the school for dismissal around 2pm, witnesses claimed up to five ambulances could be seen at the South Side campus. Of the 22 students who may have consumed the edibles, 11 were taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation. Fortunately, all were later released, but the incident left families shaken and demanding answers. Parents picking up their children expressed alarm at how easily something so dangerous slipped into the school. As parents piled into the school for dismissal around 2pm, witnesses claimed up to five ambulances could be seen at the South Side campus 'That's not cool. It's not. Check your kids' book bags,' parent Sharelle Russell told ABC7. 'Why ain't nobody checking to see why these kids are giving out cookies or any candy? Like, come on - they shouldn't be passing it out anyway.' One parent, Trianna Jones, said her godson narrowly avoided consuming more of the cookie. 'He just said he tasted the cookie, and it didn't taste right. So he spit it out, and that was it. I don't think it was packaged or anything,' she told ABC7. School officials immediately alerted parents and launched a response involving the Chicago Public Schools Office of Safety and Security. In a letter sent home, the school's principal reassured families that the situation was handled promptly and in line with CPS policies. 'Safety is always my top priority,' the principal wrote. 'We immediately provided support to our impacted community members and notified their parents and the CPS Office of Safety and Security.' The letter, obtained by WGN, indicated that the unknown substance was suspected to be an 'edible' - a food or drink item made with cannabis or other prohibited substances. The principal also urged parents to speak with their children about the dangers of accepting food from others and the serious health risks of consuming unknown substances. 'Prohibited substances of any kind are not allowed at our school,' the letter stressed. 'You have to be careful what you leave out and have around your children,' parent Ethel Allen said. 'Parents, please pay attention.'
The Independent
14-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
11 Chicago-area elementary students hospitalized after eating THC-laced edibles
Eleven elementary school students have been hospitalized after consuming THC -laced edibles, according to Chicago officials. Ambulances and police officers rushed to attend Fort Dearborn Elementary School, on S. Throop St. in Brainerd, Chicago, at around 1:40 p.m. Tuesday after receiving calls that over a dozen students had consumed an unknown substance and started to feel unwell, according to school principal Kimberly Porter and Chicago police. When authorities arrived, 22 students were confirmed to have ingested the substance, which was later identified as marijuana edibles containing THC, the psychoactive compound found in cannabis. Police said that of the 22 students who took the drug, 11 needed medical treatment, CBS News reported. The students affected were allegedly all sixth-graders who fell ill after a classmate brought cookies into the school that were unknowingly laced with THC. WGN9 reports that the sick children, aged 11 to 14, were taken to an area hospital and were said to be in good or fair condition. One parent told the channel that her godson nearly ate one of the cookies, explaining that "He just said he tasted the cookie, and it didn't taste right. So, he spit it out, and that was it. I don't think it was packaged or anything," said Trianna Jones. In the email sent to parents, Porter wrote: 'We believe our community member may have ingested the unknown substance in the form of 'edibles,' which are food or drinks that are made with cannabis or other prohibited substances.' "Prohibited substances of any kind are not allowed at our school, and we encourage you to take this opportunity to have a conversation with your child about the health risks associated with consuming edibles, and to remind them not to accept food if they do not know where it came from." One concerned parent, Ethel Allen, told CBS: "I really would like to know where they actually got the products from, ' adding, 'because it's not easily accessible like you can just go to the corner store and they're going to give it to a child, so it has to be an adult somewhere involved." Ora Knowles, whose nephew attends Fort Dearborn, said she was shocked that someone was able to smuggle the contraband items into the school. Chicago police are believed to be investigating the incident.
CBS News
13-05-2025
- Health
- CBS News
11 students sickened, taken to hospital from South Side Chicago school
Eleven students were taken to the hospital from an elementary school on Chicago's South Side Tuesday afternoon. The students got sick at Fort Dearborn Elementary School, at 9025 S. Throop St. in the Brainerd neighborhood. All were reported in good condition. The Chicago Fire Department confirmed the students got sick, but were not immediately able to confirm why. Charlie De Mar is on the scene for CBS News Chicago.
