WHAT A TRIP

Kids at New Jersey Camp Fed Mushroom-Laced Edibles

Thirteen children became ill after eating candy a fellow camper gave them.

Summer camp-goers in East Orange, New Jersey, were sent on a different kind of trip when a camper handed out “treats” that were laced with mushrooms. Emergency responders were called to the camp on Thursday July 23 to treat children aged between 10-13 who were exhibiting signs of illness. They arrived at the YMCA camp around 11 a.m. “after receiving a report that multiple children attending the camp had consumed what appeared to be a variety of mushroom-laced edibles,” the East Orange Police Department said in a news release. A preliminary investigation found that a camp counselor had discovered one camper “passing out what appeared to be candy to other campers, an act prohibited under camp policy.” Later on, “one of the children who had consumed the suspected edible began complaining of not feeling well,” the police statement said. Twelve additional campers also reported experiencing symptoms. One child was transported to a nearby hospital as a precautionary measure. No charges have been filed, but the camper has been identified and the investigation is ongoing.