Mississippi family hospitalized after unknowingly eating THC-infused candy

PONTOTOC, Miss. (WCBI) – It was a frightening Christmas break for one Mississippi family - and now they have a warning for other parents.

Three children and their dad unknowingly ingested THC-infused candy; the substance that’s primarily responsible for the effects of marijuana on a person’s mental state.

The Christmas tree at the home of Ethan and Kate Easterling is still up. Taking down Christmas decorations has taken a backseat to a real-life medical emergency. “I began to have numbness, nausea, and other effects,” said Ethan Easterling.

Easterling and his three children, Ezra, Everett, and Ada, had gone to a family gathering. Kate Easterling did not go. While at the get-together, Ethan and his three kids ate what they thought were Nerds. The candy was in a box with other snacks and food.

They had unknowingly eaten candy laced with THC.

“The two children who first ingested the candy had very severe effects. Nausea, they were in pain, felt very ill, began to say they were going to vomit, throwing up. Both stated they saw bad things, evil things. At this time, the other child began to vomit uncontrollably,” Ethan described.

Kate Easterling pulled up on the scene as paramedics and other first responders were evaluating her husband and kids. Within an hour of leaving the family gathering, all four were headed to the hospital.

“I had no idea what was going on. He wasn’t talking clearly. I couldn’t piece it together...” said Kate.

It wasn’t until the next day that Ethan realized it was the candy they had all eaten that was the culprit. It looked like any Nerds Rope Candy.

Ethan and his children were all home within a couple of days. He and his wife aren’t blaming anyone for the incident. The box of candy was apparently passed along to the family who hosted the gathering.

“We are not mad at them, we do not blame them. They had no bad intentions. They wanted to give to our children. They are devastated. It was not their fault. We are not mad that they would not check the box. Who would think you would have to check a box of snacks for that in there?” said Kate Easterling.

“I have been contacted by several people since this occurred who didn’t realize this was even made. Obviously, something so dangerous that is packaged so closely to something that is available everywhere, everyone needs to be aware that it is there and we are at a time in the world we have to watch candy our children may have,” said Ethan.

No one knows where the candy was purchased, but the Easterlings feel it’s important enough to let others, especially parents, know about seemingly innocent-looking candy that can have consequences.

They say if it can happen to them, it can happen to anyone.

The candy wrapper, along with the remaining candy, has been turned over to authorities who will try to find out where the THC-laced candy was made.

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