Tampa police investigating after 11 charter school kids get sick after eating candy

Tampa police are investigating after 11 children at a charter school got sick after they ate candy at the school.

Police said in a news release Friday evening that they were called to New Springs Charter School, 2410 E. Busch Blvd., on Thursday afternoon. Staff members there were reporting that the children, who are all between the ages of 9 and 11, “became sick after eating candy,” the news release states.

“Employees of the school found a clear cylindrical container, with no label or markings, that contained two pieces of what resembled ‘Nerds’ brand candies sometimes legally sold as Delta-9 THC products in Florida,” the news release states.

The children’s symptoms included dizziness, nausea, lethargy and numbness in their legs and arms, police said.

The students were picked up by their parents. Three of them were taken to a nearby hospital as a precaution. No serious injuries were reported.

“While early in this investigation, it is believed one of the students may have brought the candy to school,” the news release states. “Detectives continue working to determine the origin of the candy, who brought it to the school, and how it ended up in the possession of the children.”

Police also provided a few tips:

Teach your kids to always ask you, or a trusted adult, before eating anything they find, especially if it’s not in a familiar location.

Have an age-appropriate discussion with your children. If they are old enough to understand, explain that some items that look like everyday candy might contain ingredients that could make them sick.

If you believe your child may have ingested THC-infused items, contact Poison Control by calling 1-800-222-1222, contact your child’s primary care provider, or seek medical attention.