Two children under 8 years old were hospitalized in Tennessee after ingesting THC-laced hemp gummies belonging to his mother, Candice Hicksonwho now faces criminal charges and temporarily lost custody of his children.
The events occurred last week at the family home, in the city of Milan, when Hickson called 911 when he realized that the minors had consumed—without supervision—some of his THC gummies. Upon arriving at the scene, the agents found both children unconscious, so they were immediately taken to Le Bonheur Hospital in Memphis.
The minors were stabilized and discharged 48 hours laterreported the Prosecutor’s Office.
Mother failed methamphetamine test
According to the arrest warrant, Hickson told officers that the children managed to reach the container of gummies while she was in the bathroom and that she did not know the amount ingested.
However, during the subsequent investigation, the mother failed a drug test for methamphetamine use, which led to the immediate removal of custody. The children were placed under the supervision of the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services.
Candice Hickson was charged with child neglect and endangerment. His bond was set at $25,000 and he is due back in Gibson County Court on December 16.
“We will seek a balance between sanction and treatment”
The district attorney general, Frederick Agee, assured in a statement that the office will prosecute the case with legal rigor, but taking into account the need for the accused to receive treatment for her addiction.
“We will find a balance between helping Ms. Hickson receive treatment and being reunited with her children in a safe environment,” he said.
Agee also emphasized that, although the case is serious, there is no record in the state or in the United States of deaths caused exclusively by the ingestion of hemp gummies with legal THC, which are allowed for those over 21 years of age in Tennessee.
Warning to parents about legal substances
The prosecutor recalled that Legal products such as THC gummies can cause adverse reactions in minors and should be kept out of reach. He also pointed out that there are legal drugs with more powerful and addictive effects that represent a greater risk, such as opioids and anxiolytics.
The case has reignited the debate about the responsibility of adults in the storage of controlled substances within the home, especially in states where the sale of cannabis products is legal for adults.
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