Michigan mom pleads not guilty after child brought marijuana edibles to kindergarten, handed them out

A Michigan mom whose pot edibles allegedly sickened more than a dozen kindergarten students in her kid’s class Friday pleaded not guilty to second-degree child abuse Wednesday.

Melinda Gatica was taking the edibles for a rotator cuff injury, her lawyer said, when her 6-year-old child took the gummies out of the refrigerator and brought them to school, according to the Detroit News.

At least 15 students in the kindergarten class at Edgerton Elementary School got sick, reporting dizziness, nausea and lightheadedness. The entire building was evacuated over fears of carbon monoxide poisoning, but the fire department confirmed no leaks.

Five kindergarten students were hospitalized, including four overnight.

“I would like to thank our first responders for their outstanding response to this emergency,” Superintendent Fletcher Spears said in a letter to parents.

“Kudos to the entire Edgerton staff for their professionalism, close supervision and care for all of our students. I’ve stated on many occasions that student safety is always our number one priority: yesterday’s emergency demonstrated that fact. Finally, a special thank you to all of the parents for your cooperation and understanding.”

According to police, Gatica purchased the THC legally last year and then infused it into the gummies, which she left on a shelf fridge.

“Nobody’s saying she’s a criminal,” Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said Wednesday in a Facebook video. “She made a mistake. But it’s a mistake that has caused a lot of havoc in a public school district of renown. And we just can’t let that go untouched… You have to safeguard these products.”

If convicted, Gatica faces up to 10 years in prison.

Source: nydailynews