Mother upset with school response after 12-year-old ingests edibles, rushed to hospital – Halifax

A parent in Dartmouth, N.S., is expressing alarm and distress after her 12-year-old son had to be rushed to the hospital for consuming cannabis edibles at his junior high school.

Ashley Ryder is deeply concerned that the school did not call 911 and instead allowed her son to go home on the school bus as usual.

“This situation could have been fatal, and I am incredibly grateful that it was not. However, the school was negligent in handling my son,” she stated.

Ryder explained that the incident began when she received a voicemail from Caledonia Junior High School on Tuesday. The voicemail, which she shared with Global News, mentioned that her son Quinten had admitted to consuming THC-infused edibles given to him by another student.

“I’m not entirely sure what’s going on here, to be perfectly honest,” the voicemail concluded.

Upon hearing the message, Ryder tried calling the school back, but no one answered. When her Grade 7 son arrived home on the school bus, she noticed that something was amiss.

“He was speaking in a spaced-out manner and his speech was very slurred,” she described.

According to the Atlantic Canada Poison Centre Team, these symptoms indicated a possible overdose.

“In children, the most common symptoms of a cannabis edible overdose include drowsiness, slurred speech, and muscle weakness. If there is a suspicion that a child has ingested cannabis edibles, we recommend contacting the poison centre,” said team lead, Jill Duncan.

When Ryder asked her son about the incident, he disclosed that an older student had given him the gummies.

“(The student) told me they were sour apple gummy candies and then he gave me two handfuls. I ate them and couldn’t move for a while,” Quinten shared with Global News.

Ryder expressed her deep concern as her son struggled to support his own body weight, especially given his medical history involving prescription medication.

“Having no more information than what was left on my voicemail was terrifying. Due to all his medical conditions, we called an Uber and went to the hospital,” she recounted.

At the IWK Health Centre in Halifax, hospital staff confirmed to Ryder that her son had indeed overdosed.

“They confirmed it was an overdose and conducted an EKG. It took several health-care professionals to restrain my child because of his fear of needles. It was extremely traumatic,” she shared.

Quinten was discharged later that night but had to return to the ER the following day due to chest pains.

Police Informed

Ryder informed the school that her son had overdosed under their care, but she felt their response was dismissive.

She alleges that the school neglected its duty of care and should have contacted emergency services when they first noticed something was wrong. Ryder has since filed a police report and is contemplating legal action.

“This could have had fatal consequences. I am tremendously grateful that it did not. However, the school was negligent in handling my son,” she emphasized.

In a statement to Global News, Halifax Regional Centre for Education mentioned that the school administration was made aware that a student may have ingested cannabis, and the situation was closely monitored.

“School administration will cooperate with the police if further investigation is required,” stated spokesperson Lindsey Bunin.

“The safety of our students and staff is our top priority. Those who pose a threat or endanger the well-being of others will face appropriate consequences in line with the Provincial School Code of Conduct,” the statement concluded.

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