Two schools were involved in medical emergencies where at least ten 12-14-year-olds overdosed. The incident comes a day after two teens died after overdosing on Benadryl stolen from the school’s nurse’s office.
The first case began at Van Nuys Middle School in Los Angeles on Thursday morning. According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, when seven of the ten students were transported to nearby hospitals, the school evaluated the other three students.
Authorities believe the middle school students were reacting to overdosing on cannabis edibles during class.
While rushing students to be treated, Van Nuys Middle School was placed on lockdown. They also notified upset parents of the incident, adding that there was “not any sort of fentanyl-affiliated overdose.”
The second emergency occurred on Tuesday in Montgomery County, Tennessee, at Oak Plains Academy when two 15-year-old girls died after taking Benadryl from a nurses station.
The sheriff said the girls grabbed a bottle and several blister packs of Benadryl from the nurse’s station on Monday night after sneaking in through the bottom part of a “Dutch” style door.
The teens then lost consciousness in class the following morning and died later in the hospital.
According to The SUN, Oak Plains Academy is a residential treatment facility that provides emotional, behavioral, and neurodevelopmental health to children ages five through seventeen.
“Liquid medicine, in particular, not only are they easy for kids to drink, but they get absorbed very quickly. Depending on how much was absorbed in the body and how much was taken, sometimes it is irreversible,” Pediatrician Dr. Shelia McMorrow told News 2.
The Oak Plains Academy CEO, Larry Kirkland, wrote a statement ensuring an investigation would take place.
“The leadership and staff of Oak Plains Academy extend our deepest condolences to the families and friends of the two individuals who passed away. Support has been made available onsite for other patients who became aware of the incident,” Kirkland’s statement reads, The SUN reports.
Back in Los Angeles, the Unified School District said the Van Nuys Middle School incident will continue to work with students on safety.
“We take the health and safety of our students very seriously. Every effort is made to ensure our students learn in a safe environment.”
“Los Angeles Unified maintains an ongoing partnership with local health agencies, community partners, and medical experts to provide training to school staff and education for our school communities.”
The schools are providing a doctor and mental health groups speaking on the dangers of the common over-the-counter drug.
