Two Virginia moms are horrified at an accident that led to seven children under the age of 8 overdosing on sleeping pills.
The incident occurred when one mom dropped off her three kids to be babysat by the other mom, who has four children. That mom was watching all seven children, all under the age of 8, when she realized she needed to go to the corner store.
The mother of four children told a man who was in the home that she was going to the store. She later said that she may not have clearly communicated that he was to watch the children, but she believed he had understood her at the time. She wasn't gone long, but when she got back, she noticed all the children acting lethargic and unlike themselves, and she called 911.
While in the process of contacting police, the mom of four discovered an empty prescription pill bottle lying on the floor and put the pieces together. The bottle did not have a label, but police were able to determine it contained sleeping pills. They have not commented further on where the bottle came from or how the children gained access to it.
It is believed that the 7-year-old child was the one who got access to the pills.
"They were left unsupervised for a short period of time and one of the kids that have prescription medication got into it and shared with the other children here," Lieutenant Cheyenne Casale with the Hopewell Police told WTVR.
When police arrived, they found four children — ages 1, 2, 3, and 4 — who were unresponsive. The other three kids were in another room in the apartment. They were awake but lethargic. The children were all rushed to John Randolph Hospital.
Three of the kids were in serious condition, while the other four were in stable condition. Later, two of the children were transferred to a different area hospital for further treatment. Authorities say that all the children are expected to recover.
Hopewell Police are investigating the matter, along with child protective services and the Commonwealth Attorney's Office.
