3 seventh graders hospitalized after being exposed to fentanyl

By Rob Polansky, Andrew Masse, Ayah Galal

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    HARTFORD, Connecticut (WFSB) — Three seventh graders from Hartford were rushed to the hospital after being exposed to fentanyl at school Thursday.

It happened at the Sports and Medical Sciences Academy, which is a magnet school with about 600 students, around 10:45 a.m.

Hartford firefighters said they received a report that three students overdosed at the school.

One of the students, a 13-year-old boy, was unconscious.

“Initial reports indicate that CPR was initiated by the school nurse on one student and HFD personnel took over performing CPR until relieved by responding medics,” said Mario Oquendo Jr., public information officer, Hartford Fire Department. “Rhythm returned for that student and CPR was stopped.”

It’s believed that student was in a classroom and then went to the gym.

All three students were transported to the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center.

The 13-year-old seventh grader is in grave condition after officials say he ingested fentanyl.

Two other students, also seventh graders, only complained of dizziness after being exposed to fentanyl and are being monitored at the hospital.

Family members were notified.

A teacher was also transported to Hartford Hospital as a precaution.

The school was placed in a code yellow. That means students have to stay in place.

Drug sniffing dogs went through the building and additional bags of fentanyl were found in two classrooms and the gym.

Police believe the student brought the drugs to the school. Investigators are still trying to figure out if the two other students ingested fentanyl.

Mayor Luke Bronin had a powerful message for parents.

“This is one more lesson that fentanyl is a poison, these drugs are a poison. Please, if you are a parent, have that tough conversation with your child tonight. If anyone offers, suggests, that they experiment with, ingest some substance that they think is a drug, they don’t know what it is, don’t do it, stay a mile away, and for God’s sake, please report it so we can try to protect your child, their friends, everything,” Bronin said.

Students had to go through a decontamination zone before leaving school. Superintendent Torres hasn’t decided yet if there will be school tomorrow.

The school’s crisis team has been deployed.

Police are now looking for whoever brought the substance to the school. No arrests have been made yet.

Local and state officials remain at the scene.

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