Lakeland student hospitalized after consuming THC marijuana gummy she thought was candy

LAKELAND, Fla. - The Polk County Sheriff's Office is investigating after deputies said three students at Sleepy Hill Middle School in Lakeland consumed THC marijuana gummies at school on Wednesday.

 A 12-year-old girl was sent to the hospital after she ate what she told FOX 13 she thought was a piece of candy given to her by another student.

The seventh grader, Amanda, said at one point, she thought she was going to die. Her parents said she suffered a severe allergic reaction and couldn't breathe. 

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Her mom, Marianne, said she spent several hours in the hospital on Wednesday, but she is now doing okay. She said she simply wants to know how these gummies got in the hands of kids.

"I told my teacher 'Oh I'm feeling dizzy,' [and] then I started seeing everything going, side-to-side," Amanda said.

The Sleepy Hill Middle student was rushed to hospital on Wednesday after eating what she said she thought was a sour gummy another student gave her.

"She came to me saying eat this edible without me knowing it was an edible, and I ate it. It was really bad, like I thought I was going to die," Amanda said.

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In a message sent home to parents, Polk County Schools wrote: "...Law enforcement is investigating reports that three students consumed marijuana gummies. School administrators and the school nurse responded to the situation. One of the students who consumed a gummy had an adverse reaction and was transported to receive medical attention..."

Marianne said the district told her that because her daughter ingested the marijuana gummy – despite doing so unknowingly – she was therefore in possession of it and, as a result, suspended for 10 days and required to complete a drug treatment program. 

We reached out to the district about this but were told they're unable to comment due to FIRPA and student privacy laws.

"When we went to the school, my daughter had her pants off, receiving a shot of Benadryl. Her body was moving like nervous. She can't control her movements. I felt like 'Oh my god my daughter is going to die,'" Marianne said.

Marianne said she still wants answers as to how these THC gummies made it into the school. Meanwhile, Amanda said she wants other students to know this.

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"Don't eat the candy that people give you even though you know them or you talk to them, or you see them in class, just don't trust them," she said.

PCSO officials said they are actively investigating and charges could be filed, but said it's too early in the investigation to say anything more.