Four students reportedly overdose at Bradenton school

BRADENTON, Fla. (FOX 13) - A group of teenagers at Horizons Academy in Bradenton were hospitalized Friday after overdosing on prescription medication, the Manatee County Sheriff's office said.

According to deputies, a 14-year-old student told investigators he brought in the pills from home and gave them to two other 14-year-olds and a 13-year-old. All four of them were treated for their reactions to the drugs.

"He must have thought it would be cool to take them to school and take them and see what kind of effects they'd have," said Randy Warren, a sheriff's office spokesperson, adding the results, "could have been tragic."

The exact type of drug the students took was not immediately released by deputies. One of the students needed a dose of Narcan, which is used to counter the effects of opioids.

"This could have been very serious and these kids need to know if they find parents' or grandparents' or somebody else's meds, don't take them," Warren said. "These are not prescribed for you. They can have very bad effects on you.

The teenager who distributed the drugs will face charges, deputies said.

Horizons Academy is a school for students with disciplinary problems. The Manatee County school district didn't comment on the incident.