A Tennessee mother is facing criminal charges after her two little kids were found unresponsive.
Candice Hickson called 911 after her 2-year-old and 4-year-old children were rushed to the hospital on November 28.
“What a terrible situation to be in,” one commented online.
A Tennessee mother is facing criminal charges after her two little children were found unresponsive
Highlights
- Two children, aged 2 and 4, ingested substances not meant for individuals below the age of 21 in Tennessee.
- Their mother Candice Hickson was arrested and charged following the incident.
- “The kids probably watch her eat them all day. Kids will copy what they see,” one commented online.
Image credits: nadisja/stock.adobe.com (not the actual photo)
Candice Hickson called 911 after finding her two children unresponsive in their Milan home on November 28.
Investigators found that the kids had consumed her THC hemp gummies, which are illegal for anyone under 21 in Tennessee.
After first responders arrived, the kids were rushed to Le Bonheur Hospital in Memphis and given medical attention.
Officials said the gummies they consumed were the Looper brand gummies containing Delta-9, HHC, and Delta-8
Image credits: Gibson County Sheriff's Office
Candice told officers that she was in the bathroom when her kids got their hands on her stash of gummies.
She said she wasn’t sure about how many gummies they had consumed.
The children were released from the hospital within 48 hours and eventually placed in the custody of the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services.
Candice Hickson said she was in the bathroom when her kids got their hands on her THC hemp gummies
Image credits: Pharma Hemp Complex/unsplash (not the actual photo)
The mother failed a test for m*th*mphet*mine and was arrested following the incident.
She is currently behind bars and is facing charges of child neglect and endangerment.
Her bail amount was set at $25,000, and she is expected to appear for a preliminary hearing on December 16.
Image credits: ABC News
Candice would be receiving treatment for her reliance on illegal substances to move one step closer towards gaining the custody of her children back.
“We believe Ms. Hickson has substance ab*se issues as demonstrated by her failed drug screen for M*th, which is highly addictive and poses much more danger than Hemp or Marijuana in our communities,” District Attorney General Frederick Agee said in a statement.
“Our Office will prosecute this case within the letter of the law, balancing the need to help Ms. Hickson get treatment for her ad**ction, so that she can eventually reunite with her children in a safe environment,” he continued.
The kids were removed from their mother's custody and placed with the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services
Image credits: Yelp
Officials said the incident should serve as a reminder for parents to keep items that are unsafe or unsuitable for children away from their reach.
“Although we take any case where children are harmed very seriously, we are unaware of any incident in Tennessee or the U.S. where a child, teenager, or adult has died solely from consuming legal Hemp THC gummies,” District Attorney General Frederick Agee said in a statement.
“However, this is a cautionary reminder to parents to secure legal substances that might cause adverse reactions away from their children, especially those dr*gs with more potent and addictive effects like Oxycodone, Xanax, Hydrocodone, and other opioids,” he added.
Image credits: Elsa Olofsson/unsplash (not the actual photo)
A concerning number of children find themselves hospitalized with abnormal behavior or difficulty breathing after consuming cannabis edibles, according to a Nationwide Children’s Hospital report.
The report said there were about 8,913 cases of individuals between the ages of 0-19 who took cannabis edibles in the past year, according to data from America’s P*ison Centers.
54% of these cases (4,813 children) were between the ages of 0 and 5.
4,813 kids between the ages of 0-5 reportedly consumed cannabis edibles in the past year
Image credits: wckiw/stock.adobe.com (not the actual photo)
For parents who consume edibles, it was suggested to keep these items out of the house. But if kept at home, they should be stored in an out-of-sight place that children cannot reach.
It was also suggested that parents should not consume these products in front of their kids, as it would not only affect their behavior but also pave the way for children to mimic their parents’ actions.
Image credits: FOX 13 Tampa Bay
Signs of a child having accidentally consumed edibles would include confusion, drowsiness, lack of coordination, and vomiting.
In severe cases, the child may face difficulty in breathing, suffer a seizure, or even fall into a coma.
The internet was divided over Candice's arrest, with one saying, “The kids probably watch her eat them all day. Kids will copy what they see”
