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
DEVELOPING 122 active wildfires burning across Canada, 32 considered 'out of control'
The 2024 wildfire season has begun, and it's shaping up to follow last year's unprecedented destruction in kind, with thousands of square kilometres already consumed.
B.C. parents sentenced to 15 years for death of 6-year-old boy
A British Columbia Supreme Court judge has sentenced the mother and stepfather of a six-year-old boy who died from blunt-force trauma in 2018 to 15 years in prison.
Veteran TSN sportscaster Darren Dutchyshen has died
Veteran TSN broadcaster Darren 'Dutch' Dutchyshen, one of Canada’s best-known sports journalists, has died. He was 57. His family says 'he passed as he was surrounded by his closest loved ones.'
Miller scores late as Canucks grind out 3-2 win over Oilers in Game 5
J.T. Miller scored in the final minute of the game and the Vancouver Canucks came back for a 3-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 5 of their second-round playoff series Thursday.
Think twice before sharing 'heartbreaking' social media posts, RCMP warn
Mounties in B.C. are urging people to think twice before sharing "heartbreaking posts" on social media.
Police issue Canada-wide warrant for Regina homicide suspect
Police have issued a Canada-wide warrant for a man wanted in a homicide which occurred in Regina on May 12.
Trudeau calls New Brunswick's Conservative government a 'disgrace' on women's rights
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau assailed New Brunswick's premier and other conservative leaders on Thursday, calling out the provincial government's position on abortion, LGBTQ youth and climate change.
Kevin Spacey receives star support as he fights to get his career back
Kevin Spacey is pushing back on the 'rush to judgment' against him and is being backed by some big names as he seeks to reclaim his acting career.
Speaker cuts ties with Sask. Party, alleges he faced threats, harassment from gov't MLAs
The Speaker of the Saskatchewan Legislature Randy Weekes has severed ties with the Sask. Party after accusing some members of harassment and intimidation tactics, including a situation he claimed saw the Government House Leader bring a hunting rifle to the legislative building.