A Grade 8 student allegedly brought cannabis edibles that looked like candy into Windsor's Hugh Beaton Elementary School on Tuesday, leading to several students consuming them and at least one becoming ill.
Images of numerous ambulances parked outside the school circulated on social media, drawing concern from parents and community members.
Speaking on AM800's Mornings with Mike and Meg, Jeff Fuchs said his 13-year-old son texted him feeling unwell saying to come get him right away.
"He's down laying in the hallway now and he's incoherent, so I'm asking him who gave you this? He tells me the kids name, so I immediately look at the principal and said go get this kid right now, bring him to the office, and empty his pockets. We need to know what he gave my son. She says sorry we don't have the authority to do that," he said.
Fuchs said his son vomited and was taken to hospital where he remained disoriented for hours and later recovered at home.
He added the police were eventually called to the school to assist.
"I'm like officer if this was your son laying there right now puking, go empty that kid's pockets. The kid that brought them at this point is being uncooperative and the police are not emptying. He's a child. You have a kid who is possibly OD'ing. Search this kid. At this point no one even knows what the kids have taken," said Fuchs.
Fuchs said that police later confirmed to him the substance was high-THC cannabis gummies after confiscating the package from the student.
Pictures of the packaging provided by Fuchs showed 10x100mg. Well above the regulated 10mg limit.
Fuchs said the gummies were reportedly obtained via social media.
"Another problem that school has failed to realize is that these edibles weren't purchased from a licensed dispensary. These are someone that made them. This is an adult selling these to a child off of Snapchat. We've got to go back for more drug tests today and I hope the police actually screen the drugs they have to find out exactly what's in there," he said.
Windsor police said in a statement to AM800 News that three children were assessed by EMS, and one was transported to hospital out of an abundance of caution.
"A 12-year-old youth was formally cautioned for providing cannabis to a person who appeared to be under 25 years of age and was subsequently released to the care of their parents," the statement reads.
School board response
A spokesperson for the Greater Essex County District School Board said only that the situation was addressed at the school level, declining to provide further details.
“This incident has been addressed between the principal and the families involved,” the spokesperson said.
“As it pertains to students, and our highest priority is maintaining their privacy and safety, we will not provide further comment.”
-With files from CTV Windsor's Travis Fortnum