Muessel Elementary parent speaks out after daughter was given marijuana edibles

 

SOUTH BEND, Ind. --“It was weed edibles given out to our kids. If our kids can’t be safe at school, where can they be safe at?” asked Caprice Gatlin, after her nine-year old daughter ate two marijuana gummies without knowing what they were after being given them by another student in a bathroom at Muessel Elementary.

Soon after, Gatlin's daughter started feeling strange.

“She said she felt like she was sleepwalking," said Gatlin.

She complained that her head was hurting and her stomach was burning. Gatlin took her daughter to the hospital, where doctors found high levels of THC in her system.

Gatlin said “The school system needs to step up—somebody has to do something!” 

Muessel's Interim Principal Hughes Valmond sent a letter to parents addressing the situation, saying: "Our administration responded immediately, working with the School Resource Officer, school nurse, and parents/guardians of the students in question. All students involved were assessed and monitored closely by the school nurse until they were released to their parent/guardian.”

Gatlin said this is not the first incident involving her daughter-- who was jumped by three other girls in a bathroom just last week.

“I’m scared to even send my child to school!” she said. 

She worries Muessel Elementary isn't taking the crime seriously, leading to more incidents. 

While Gatlin's daughter is feeling better after being drugged-- but according to her, there's still lingering trauma.

“The only thing she told me is she’ll never eat a fruit snack again," she said. "She’ll never eat a fruit snack again…”

Gatlin's considering withdrawing her daughter from Muessel because of this-- and hopes to meet with Principal Valmond on Monday.

She's also filed an incident report with SBPD.