Teens sickened by drug-laced cookies at Philadelphia school

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Two teen girls were sent to the hospital after they were sickened by drug-laced cookies at a school in the Overbrook Park section of Philadelphia.

Police don't think the girls had any idea what was in the cookies, and add that it's lucky more kids didn't eat them.

According to investigators, a 13-year-old seventh-grade girl gave cookies to two of her friends at the Lamberton public school.

One friend, a 13-year-old boy, threw his cookie away after smelling it. However, the other friend - a 13-year-old girl - ate hers and immediately felt sick.

"She arrived at the nurse's office and explained that she had eaten a cookie given to her by another student and then told the nurse she felt high," said Lt. John Walker.

The girl who brought the cookies ate one as well. She then showed up at the nurse's office.

"They were severely vomiting and obviously, glazed eyes, and appeared to have the symptoms of being high from this marijuana," Walker said.

Police don't believe the girls knew what was in the cookies. They tell Action News a caregiver, a relative of the girl who brought the cookies, first told investigators she had the cookies for medicinal purposes, then said she bought them at a party.

"People need to understand that the things that you have that can hurt kids need to be kept out of the way," said Walker.

The girls were expected to be treated and released from the hospital.

A letter went home to parents on Thursday, and the School District of Philadelphia released a statement that said, in part, students are discouraged from sharing food and beverages.

The district says it is cooperating with what is now a police investigation.

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