Chattanooga police investigate after Central High students ate marijuana candies

Four students were sent to local hospitals for medical evaluation after appearing sick

Staff File Photo

Central High School student resource officer P. Soyster walks on campus in this August photo. The sheriff's office said the SRO called deputies for backup after a fight broke out at the school Friday.
Staff File Photo Central High School student resource officer P. Soyster walks on campus in this August photo. The sheriff's office said the SRO called deputies for backup after a fight broke out at the school Friday.

Police are investigating an incident in which four Central High students were sent to the hospital Wednesday after eating drug-laced gelatin candy.

Hamilton County Schools spokesman Tim Hensley said the students ingested a "gelatin roll candy type product that had marijuana as an ingredient."

The students were transported to local hospitals for medical evaluation after appearing sick. Two students were transported by EMS and the other two were taken by family members, Hensley said.

Central High Principal Finley King said one of the students was a diabetic, adding that the students were "throwing up," King said.

King also said one of the students, a junior who was new to the school, has been expelled under the school's zero tolerance policies after passing out the snacks.

Hensley did not confirm the student had been expelled, but said all student discipline "is handled in accordance with district policy."

Chattanooga Police responded to the school Wednesday morning. King said a specific police officer, a Central High alumnus, responded at the school's request.

The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office is investigating what occurred at the school and the Chattanooga Police Department is investigating where the substance originated, according to CPD.

The school was never in a lockdown or lock out situation. King noted that students are taking districtwide benchmark tests this week.

This is the second incident in a week involving students ingesting a substance at a Hamilton County School.

Last week, multiple law enforcement agencies responded after five students ingested an unknown substance at Brainerd High School and were taken to local hospitals.

Charges were filed Wednesday against a juvenile that distributed the substance to other students at Brainerd High last week. The juvenile, whose name has not been released, is charged with four counts of reckless endangerment, according to CPD.

At a meeting Wednesday, when asked about the situation at Brainerd High last week, Superintendent Bryan Johnson responded that any disciplinary actions following the incident would be handled at the school level by school administrators. He noted that the district would not disclose disciplinary actions taken against students.

The district has several offenses outlined in the student code of conduct that could result in expulsion, including possession of firearms or weapons, possession of a controlled substance or drugs and striking a school employee.

The policy reads that "illegal possession or under the influence of a controlled substance or drugs" and "possessing, transferring or receiving drug paraphernalia, nonprescription drugs or 'look-alike' drugs" can result in expulsion for at least one calendar year. Such violations also are reported to local law enforcement.

The district has repeatedly said that students "were sick" during these incidents, even once law enforcement was contacted and had responded.

During Brainerd High's lockout last week, parents were notified of an incident because it interfered with dismissal, but parents reportedly were not notified of the incident at Central High Wednesday.

Contact staff writer Meghan Mangrum at mmangrum@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6592. Follow her on Twitter @memangrum.

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