5-year-old Shirley boy hospitalized after eating cannabis-laced gummies, cops say
A 5-year-old Shirley boy was hospitalized Tuesday after eating cannabis-infused gummies that he received while trick-or-treating on Halloween, Suffolk County police said.
The candy, labeled "Medicated Starburst Gummies," was labeled as containing THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, although with similar packaging and branding as the popular fruit-flavored soft taffy treat, authorities said.
The edibles were collected by the unidentified child while trick-or-treating in communities in the southern portion of Suffolk's Seventh Precinct, police said.
The resealable package had been previously opened but the packaging did not appear tampered with, authorities said.
The boy was treated Tuesday and released from Long Island Community hospital after eating the gummies, law enforcement officials said.
Suffolk police believe it was an isolated incident. But it comes five days after a 13-year-old Stony Brook middle schooler tore up a mini 3 Musketeers bar collected on Halloween and found a double-sided razor blade tucked inside, police said.
Sixth Precinct detectives are investigating how the blade got inside the candy and if the wrapper had been previously torn open.
Suffolk police are urging parents to check their children’s Halloween candy and to thoroughly read the labeling.
Any resident who finds candy that has potentially been tampered with or that contains drugs should immediately call police.
Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.
