South Allegheny Middle School Students Get Sick After Taking Edibles
MCKEESPORT, Pa. (KDKA) - Six South Allegheny students got sick after ingesting edibles, the superintendent said.
The superintendent said the school nurse was called around 8:30 Thursday morning after the students got really sick within minutes of ingesting the edible. The students were checked out by EMTs on campus before they were taken to the hospital for further review.
The nurse was made aware of the incident after the students told an adult in the building what happened.
All middle and high school classes were ordered to shelter in place to keep the hallways cleared for medics.
"You hear so much every day. There's so much going on. My thing is how are the kids getting ahold of this stuff?" said grandparent Darlene Yanity.
Darlene Yanity talked to KDKA as she was on her way to pick up her three granddaughters from South Allegheny Middle School after she said one of them called her to let her know what was going on.
"To my knowledge, it was put in a type of a gummy candy. I don't know, but that's what my granddaughter told me," said Yanity.
"They're so young and how many there were -- it scares me," said grandparent Gina Grice.
Grice said her granddaughter saw some of the incident play out.
"She said she saw two kids on the floor," said Grice.
South Allegheny School District posted an updated message on its website saying the six students who ingested the edibles are either receiving or already received proper medical care.
District administrators said trained drug detection dogs from McKeesport police searched the bathrooms, lockers, hallways and common areas of the building and didn't find anything suspicious.
"I hope they get the person," said foster parent Judy.
It's unclear what was inside the edibles at this time or how the students got them. KDKA is working to gather more on that.
A notification was sent to all the families of the students involved.
The students followed an abbreviated class schedule when the shelter in place was lifted.
On its website, the South Allegheny School District posted this: "If you think your child is experimenting with drugs, or has a drug problem, please call your child's guidance counselor or these suggested community resources.
"Auberle: 412-673-5800
"Mon Yough Community Services: 412-675-6927"
