GALION – A Mansfield-area police department is investigating reports of tainted candy given to a child.
According to a Facebook post from the Galion Police Department, they have an open investigation into candy given out during the city's trick-or-treat that may have been “laced with something.” The department was alerted after a 5-year-old boy became ill after trick-or-treat Sunday night on the west side of town near Arlington and Highland avenues and Tidd Drive.
The police department received a call from Galion Community Hospital's emergency room where they reported that a 5-year-old boy had tested positive for methamphetamine.The boy had been taken to the hospital after he suffered a possible seizure.
"I got a phone call from my son’s grandma stating that my son was rushed to the hospital and he was very disoriented," said Braylen's mother Julia Pence. "The left side of his face was droopy and he couldn’t move his left arm."
Braylen's father told police that his son ate a few pieces of Halloween candy and played with plastic fake vampire teeth.
"Vampire teeth with the [fake] blood,"said Braylen. "That’s the one I put in my mouth twice."
Police were told that all of the candy had been thrown in the trash. Police recovered the treats, including the fake teeth, and collected it as evidence.
"We’ve submitted some of the evidence to the Mansfield Crime Lab for evaluation to try and make a determination of what it might be," said Galion Police Chief Brian Saterfield.
There's no word on when the lab results are expected to come in. At this point police believe it's an isolated incident since there have been no additional reports of children who felt ill after trick-or-treating in the area. Police did receive a call from a different neighborhood related to candy that looked suspicious, but do not believe the two are related.
"Always be cautious," said Saterfield. "And if you feel like that something doesn’t look right then get a hold of us."
The boy has since been treated and released from the hospital. He's expected to be okay.
The department cautioned parents to check all candy and all non-candy items including rings, bracelets, necklaces or fake teeth and encouraged anyone that suspects items have been tampered with to contact the department.