Seven children ate the candy and five had to be taken to hospital after showing symptoms including nausea, vomiting, headaches and muscle cramps. The students have already been released from the hospital, USCNN reported.
The initial suspicion was that the students had an allergic reaction, but the school called the police.
A test on the plastic bag in which the bullets were transported returned a positive result for fentanyl, a potentially deadly synthetic opioid. The bag was sent to the DEA, the agency responsible for drug control and suppression, for further testing and confirmation.
Two people were arrested on Wednesday (13) for crime and child abuse. They are Clifford Dugan, 50, and Nicole Sanders, 26. Police did not provide any information about the suspect's relationship to the child who brought the bullets to school.
The preliminary investigation revealed that the students had swallowed gummy bears from a plastic bag. That bag contained residue, and the residue tested positive for fentanyl.
Lt. Dallas Hill on CNN
At this time, we believe the bag containing the fentanyl was contaminated at home or on the way to school while the student was being transported to school by his caregiver. There is no evidence of other fentanyl at the school.
William Wells, Superintendent of Amherst County Public Schools