Arrest made in school candy case

MASSILLON — Police said a female student at a northeastern Ohio high school was arrested on misdemeanor charges Friday for telling students that candy brought into school by another student was tainted.

Police Chief Mike Pomesky said the 21 students at Perry High School who became ill Wednesday were likely reacting in a panic after hearing from the female student that bags of Sour Patch Kids were laced with an unspecified substance.

The student charged with misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct and obstructing official business was not the person who brought the candy to school, Pomesky said. A male student brought multiple bags of chewable candy to school to give to other students as a friendly gesture without malicious intent.

“She was the common denominator and ... was found to be the originator and source of the statement giving rise to this case,” Pomesky said in a news release. “Understandably, this set off considerable panic and anxiety with the students who had consumed the candies.”

The candy given to the girl by the male student was not recovered by police.”We don’t know if something was really done to the candy the female had in her possession,” the chief said, noting that all students involved had no remaining ill effects as of Friday afternoon.

On Wednesday morning, the 21 students developed rapid heart rates, dilated pupils and some had elevated blood pressure readings after eating the candy at school. Six students were transported to hospitals and other students were either brought to the hospital by their parents or returned to class.