A Louisiana couple, Mary Cormier and David Butt, were arrested on Sept. 13 after allegedly leaving their 4-year-old at home alone despite knowing the child had eaten a THC gummy. The parents reportedly attended an LSU football game and returned about eight hours later to find the child unresponsive; the child was in the ICU as of Sept. 16. The NIH reports accidental THC ingestion in young children is rising and advises contacting poison control immediately if ingestion is suspected.
Louisiana Couple Arrested After Leaving 4-Year-Old Who Ate THC Gummy Home Alone to Attend LSU Game
Scott Police Department; Jonathan Mailhes/Cal Sport Media/Newscom/The Mega Agency
Scott, La. — A Louisiana couple was arrested after police say they left their 4-year-old child at home alone despite knowing the child had ingested a THC gummy.
On Sunday, Sept. 13, the Scott Police Department arrested Mary Cormier and David Butt. Both face charges including second-degree cruelty to juveniles, child desertion and three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile, authorities said.
Police say officers received a call reporting that the 4-year-old had eaten a THC gummy. Rather than seek medical attention or remain at the residence, Cormier and Butt left the child in the care of another juvenile and attended a Louisiana State University football game for which they reportedly had tickets.
When the couple returned about eight hours later, officers found the child breathing but completely unresponsive. The child was transported to a nearby hospital and remained in the intensive care unit as of Wednesday, Sept. 16, police said.
Jonathan Mailhes/Cal Sport Media/Newscom/The Mega Agency
Rising Risk Of Accidental Ingestion
Health officials have warned that accidental marijuana ingestion among young children has increased as medical and recreational cannabis products have become more available. According to the National Institutes of Health, in 2020 roughly 41.6% of poison control encounters involving children under 5 in the United States were related to accidental THC ingestion.
"Common symptoms of marijuana ingestion in young children are drowsiness, somnolence, nausea, and vomiting, with children being at high risk for severe symptoms of respiratory depression and seizures," the NIH said in a report.
Young children are at greater risk of severe toxicity because of their size and development and because they may consume an entire, potent edible, mistaking it for candy.
What Parents Should Do
If you suspect a child has ingested a THC product, contact poison control immediately or seek emergency medical care if the child is difficult to wake, having breathing problems, or having seizures. Parents and caregivers should store marijuana products, especially edibles, locked and well out of children’s reach, and keep packaging in its original containers with child-resistant features when possible.
The Scott Police Department continues to investigate the incident. No further details about the child's condition have been released publicly.
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