Four Locust Grove High School students were rushed to hospitals Friday morning after ingesting a drug and passing out on campus, authorities said.
The students — ages 17, 15 and two 14-year-olds — were taken to hospitals just before 10 a.m. after voluntarily taking a liquid substance believed to be the party drug GHB, Henry County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy David Foster told Channel 2 Action News.
RELATED: What is GHB?
Emergency responders and school resource officers went to the school after getting a call about the medical emergency, Henry County Schools spokesman JD Hardin said.
Two of the girls were taken to Piedmont Henry Hospital and the others were taken to Children’s Hospital of Atlanta.
Police have charged a 15-year-old with possession of GHB, possession with intent to distribute GHB, reckless conduct and disruption of a public school, authorities said.
All five girls are friends, and the drug was purchased inside a school bathroom Friday morning, according to the sheriff’s office. The students’ names have not been released.
“There is a further investigation underway into the matter, but the most important thing at this point is the health and well-being of the students needing medical attention,” Hardin said in a statement Friday afternoon. “They are currently receiving it at area hospitals. District leaders and school officials are supporting the school at this moment, and all classes are proceeding as scheduled.”
Locust Grove was placed on lockdown as authorities investigated the incident, deputies said. The lockdown was lifted about 1 p.m.
This isn’t the first time this year students have fallen sick after eating something at school.
On Valentine’s Day, 28 students at Sandtown Middle School in Fulton County were taken to the hospital after eating candy believed to have been laced with THC, school officials said.
RELATED: Valentine’s snack at south Fulton school contained THC
Four of the students were kept overnight for observation after eating the snacks and showing signs of drug intoxication, including hallucination, red, watery eyes and “frantic” crying, AJC.com previously reported.
ALSO: Fulton schools say sickened kids showed signs of ‘drug intoxication’
The GBI tested the snacks and said THC was found in one of the 46 food samples collected by school police. Five Sandtown students believed to be responsible for distributing the drug-laced candy were later disciplined by the school, district officials said.
MORE: 5 students face discipline in edible drug case at Fulton County school
In August, a dozen Butts County middle school students got sick after ingesting an assortment of hard candy at Henderson Middle, authorities said. Police tested 27 bags of the candy but found no evidence of drugs and could not determine what made the children ill.
RELATED: Candy ruled ‘completely safe’ after a dozen students fall ill
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