La Romaine student sent to ICU after drinking ‘juice’

News Rishard Khan 13 Hrs Ago

The San Fernando General Hospital. - File photo

FIVE La Romaine High School students had to be taken to the hospital with a 17-year-old landing in the ICU on October 28 after ingesting an unknown substance believed to be contained in a bottle of juice while in school.

Reports said the 17-year-old ingested the substance around 10.50 am and became delirious. Police officers attached to the school took him to the staff room, where he then fainted. He was attended to by the officers, the school safety officer and the principal, who contacted his mother.

The teen was taken to the San Fernando General Hospital along with two 15-year-olds, a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old who also ingested the substance. The other students were not warded.

The hospitalised student’s mother told Newsday he was moved out of the ICU on October 29 evening and doctors are monitoring his condition. She said the medical team was screening to determine what the substance was and was checking her son for any organ damage.

She said her son told her he ingested the substance after drinking some juice which was being shared among the other students. She said he told her he realised it tasted strange but did not pay any mind to it. “Why it is the children and them so wicked?”

She added: “Allyuh allow him to drink it.”

She said, while children had a habit of lying, and her son had before, she knew he was telling the truth about the incident.

“You could believe your children how much you want to and how much you feel you know them. Pray. Because children have a way they does twist things. I does know the difference in mine.”

She believes the quick action of another student helped save her son’s life.

She said the student told her he suspected he had ingested something foreign and stuck his finger down the teen’s throat, causing him to vomit.

“I feel if he didn’t do that, it might have been worse than how it was.”

She is expecting him to be discharged soon. She said she had since advised him not to consume anything from anyone, and believes the public should also follow that rule.

The mother expressed deep disappointment in the school’s handling of the situation. She said she intended to explore every avenue to seek recompense.

Two students were arrested last week for possessing marijuana on the compound. Police said the 14-year-old male student and 15-year-old female student were searched by officers stationed at the school after they were seen acting suspiciously. The officers found 2.7 grammes of marijuana hidden in the male student’s groin area and 4.1 grammes in the female student’s backpack.