Students May Have Ingested Cocaine At Elementary School In Maywood: Report

OAK PARK, IL — Several elementary students were hospitalized Thursday after they ingested what might have been cocaine, according to some parents. The incident took place at Garfield Elementary School after a student allegedly brought four bags of cocaine into the school.

In an open letter to parents posted on the Garfield Elementary website, Principal Marsha Alexander wrote that "a few students were taken by ambulance after ingesting an unknown substance they got from another student." She added that "All of the students directly impacted by this are fine."

Family members of one of the hospitalized students told WGN that the boy who allegedly brought the substance to school told classmates it was cocaine and sprinkled it onto her grandson's lunch without his permission. CBS 2 reports that parents say some children had also been "forced" to snort the substance.

Carletta May, whose grandson ingested the substance, told CBS 2 that affected students informed school authorities around 12:30 p.m., shortly after lunchtime, but guardians and parents were not notified until 3:30 p.m. May also told CBS 2 the hospital and police had confirmed the substance was cocaine.

Patch reached out to Maywood Police for comment but did not immediately receive a response Monday. The school is working with law enforcement during the ongoing investigation.

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