Fulton kids’ illness still mystery; no lab tests yet

Three of the 28 Fulton County students taken to hospitals Thursday after falling ill at school had not been released by Friday afternoon, and the school district had yet to submit samples of food that may be the source of the illness to the GBI for testing.

Students complained about feeling nauseated and disoriented after eating snacks and candy brought to Sandtown Middle School on Valentine’s Day.

Fulton County Schools reported that 28 students in three grades were taken to local hospitals, and 25 had been released to parents or guardians by 2:30 p.m. Friday.

School officials did not release the conditions of the three remaining students, and hospital officials released no details about any students’ health. School police are investigating what made the students sick.

The Fulton County Board of Health reported Thursday that food samples would be tested by the GBI. But more than 24 hours after students fell ill, the school district had not delivered any samples.

GBI spokeswoman Nelly Miles said the lab is ready to run tests once it gets something to test.

“We don’t have it,” Miles said. “Once it comes in, it will be made a priority.”

Fulton school system spokeswoman Susan Romanick said she didn’t know when the samples would be provided to GBI. She said school police officers have to follow “chain of custody” protocols before submitting anything to the state-run lab.

“(It’s) much more significant than turning over one piece of paper or sample,” Romanick said. “It is a priority to us as well ... we are working to make sure the information collected is done properly.”

Exactly what made the children sick is just one unanswered question related to the Valentine’s Day incident.

“We want answers as much as you do, and will cooperate fully with all agencies to determine what happened,” the district said in a statement. “Until the investigation is complete, the school system cannot make a determination of what caused students’ illnesses, its origin, if there was a deliberate, wrongful act committed, or if criminal charges or student discipline will be levied.”

The Sandtown principal plans to hold meetings with eighth-graders next week to discuss appropriate behavior, the district said.

Alicia Cardwell Alston, a county health board spokeswoman, said she could not detail the students’ symptoms, saying “that’s also a little up in the air.”

She said officials were trying to contact parents for additional information, but that was going slowly because school was not in session Friday because of the Presidents Day holiday weekend.

The school district said that even though it hasn’t confirmed that the students’ illness started with something they ate, it will educate students “on understanding the potential dangers of eating foods from unknown sources.”