A home day care owner faces charges after three toddlers were treated for THC exposure in Stafford County, Virginia, authorities say. The substance was later detected in what the county sheriff's office described as “gold fish crackers” found around the children’s high chairs.
Three 1-year-olds were taken to the emergency room at Stafford Hospital on March 2 after their parents observed “lethargic and uncoordinated behavior, as well as glassy, bloodshot eyes,” the Office of the Stafford County Sheriff said Friday.
Hospital staff recognized the symptoms and found that the toddlers had been exposed to THC, the psychoactive substance in cannabis.
The children had all been cared for at a home day care in the Windsor Forest neighborhood in Garrisonville, Virginia, investigators found.
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A detective searched the day care and collected what they called “gold fish crackers” around high chairs, the sheriff's office said in a statement.
“These crackers were sent to the lab for testing, and confirmed the presence of THC,” they said.
Child Protective Services was notified, and the day care surrendered its license, officials said.
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Rebecca Swanner, 60, the day care’s owner, was charged with three counts of cruelty and injury to children. She surrendered to the sheriff’s office on Thursday and was released on $2,000 bond. It wasn’t immediately clear if she has a lawyer.
Additional information wasn’t immediately released on the crackers or how the children had access to them.
Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.
