Vancouver Island child hospitalized after eating poisonous hemlock on school grounds
A nine-year-old girl was hospitalized overnight after chewing and swallowing part of a poisonous hemlock plant on the grounds of a Langford, B.C., school.
The Sooke school district and the girl’s mom say the incident happened Feb. 28 during after-school care at Crystal View Elementary when kids were playing outside near a dormant garden.
“Our staff, in conjunction with the third-party providers of after-school care, immediately intervened and made sure that student was safe and then got them medical attention as soon as possible to make sure that ultimately that student would not be in any kind of danger,” says district superintendent Paul Block.
Danielle, who doesn’t want to use her last name to protect the identity of her child, says the girl thought she was biting parsley.
“It’s so unassuming,” she says. “I don’t blame (the school). It’s just bad luck.”
Poison hemlock is a non-native invasive plant, originally from Europe, that can be found in locations across Canada.
“It’s primarily found around streams, ditches, forest edges and fields,” says Dr. Nick Wong of the Invasive Species Council of BC.
The council says the plant is covered with distinct purple spots with triangular fern-like leaves and small white flowers in an umbrella cluster at the end of the stem. It says they have a long, fleshy root similar to a carrot.
“All parts of the plant contain toxic compounds to livestock and wildlife and people, so ingestion is the real deadly part and even small amounts can be quite dangerous,” according to Wong.
Danielle’s daughter was lucky. The mom says her daughter was instructed to drink lots of water and was treated in hospital using active charcoal. She says the child was kept overnight for observation due to stomach cramping. She was back to school within 48 hours.
“I want everybody to know it’s a problem on the South Island so we can do our best to educate our kids,” says Danielle.
The school district says it has a pest-management program that includes the removal of invasive and poisonous plant species.
“Typically when we have invasive species like this, particularly hemlock, they’re usually around the periphery of our school grounds,” says Block.
The district superintendent says staff are aware of poison hemlock sprouting at six school sites – including École Poirier Elementary, Journey Middle School, Centre Mountain Lellum Middle School, Dunsmuir Middle School, and Belmont Secondary.
“In [the case of Crystal View Elementary] they were unfortunately in gardens that we weren’t aware of,” says Block.
He says staff have since removed the hemlock plants from the garden and are replacing the soil in hopes of preventing it from sprouting again.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.