West Philadelphia students sickened by laced grape juice

Oct 31, 2023

The Philadelphia Police Department and the Office of School Safety at the School District of Philadelphia are investigating the incident.

Philadelphia School District headquarters on North Broad Street. (Mark Henninger/Imagic Digital)

Multiple children were hospitalized Wednesday after consuming an unknown substance mixed with grape juice at a school in West Philadelphia.

The incident occurred at the Crossroads Accelerated Academy at noon and, according to our news partner 6abc, the school went into lockdown.

Two students brought the grape juice bottles to school, said School District of Philadelphia spokesperson Monique Braxton."Eleven students drank from the grape juice bottles," Braxton said. "Immediately, they started having symptoms. Those symptoms include lightheadedness and they were throwing up."

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The students involved were between the ages of 14 and 16. Five students were taken to the hospital, the other six were returned home to their families.

"We’re asking parents to have a good talk with their students, with their children," Braxton said. "We’re asking parents to have a good chat with your child to make sure that they’re not bringing any banned or dangerous substances to school. We want to make sure that everyone's safe."

The Philadelphia Police Department and the Office of School Safety at the School District of Philadelphia are investigating the incident.

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Cory Sharber is a general assignment reporter for WHYY News.