News Releases

Three Elementary School Students Hospitalized After Ingesting Controlled Substance

For Immediate Release: Monday, April 17, 2023

Gaithersburg, MD - Rockville City Police and Montgomery County Police detectives responded to College Gardens Elementary School, in the 1700 block of Yale Place in Rockville, after three elementary school students became sick on Monday, April 17, 2023.

 

The investigation by detectives determined that a group of students found a container of blue items that they believed to be candy.  Three of the students, all seven-years-old, briefly ingested the items and then spit them out.  When they started to feel dizzy, all three went to the school nurse who called EMS.  They were transported to local hospitals as a precaution.   

 

None of the items were recovered, and detectives are unsure of exactly what the students consumed.  However, based on toxicology of some of the victims, investigators believe that the items may have been a methamphetamine related drug, such as Adderall or MDMA (ecstasy or Molly). 

 

“I am relieved that the students will ultimately be fine, but in many ways, what happened today is frightening,” said Chief Marcus Jones.  “I hope that it serves as a powerful motivator for parents to keep having the difficult conversations with their children about the dangers of taking or eating unknown substances."

 

All of the students have been discharged from the hospital and are home with their parents. This is an active and ongoing investigation.

 

# # #

Release ID: 23-209
Media Contact: S.D. Goff 
Categories: drug-investigation