Student arrested after four friends ingest party drug, get sick at school

Four girls treated at hospitals; fifth charged with possessing GHB.

Four Locust Grove High School students were rushed to hospitals Friday mornin ga fter ingesting a drug and getting sick on campus, authorities said.

The students — 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 Chief Deputy David Foster told Channel 2 Action News.

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-yearold 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, according to the sheriff’s office. None of the students’ names have 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. “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 High was placed on lockdown as authorities investigated the incident, according to the sheriff ’s office. The lockdown was lifted about 1 p.m.

This isn’t the first time this year area students have fallen sick after ingesting 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.

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.

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 druglaced candy were disciplined by the school, district officials said.

In August, a dozen Butts County middle school students got sick after ingesting an assortment of hard candy at Henderson Middle School, authorities said. Police tested 27 bags of the candy but found no evidence of drugs and could not determine what made the children ill.