A Texas mom has been arrested after she admitted to giving her son's classmate a drink that landed him in hospital.
The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office arrested 45-year-old Jennifer Lynn Rossi on Tuesday (5 March), after her 10-year-old son allegedly came home from school upset.
According to police documents cited by KENS 5, the young boy claimed his 11-year-old classmate had stolen a sports drink from him during school on Monday.
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He relayed the story to his mom, and Rossi allegedly responded to say she had 'an idea to prank' the classmate.
The next day, Rossi gave her son another drink which he took to school and later gave to the 11-year-old during their PE class.
The older child recounted the events to police, claiming he had taken a large swig of the drink but spat it out when he realized how bad it tasted.
An affidavit cited by KSAT said the student had thought the liquid was a Prime energy drink.
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Officials at The Legacy Traditional School said the 11-year-old then started feeling sick and suffering from a headache, so he was rushed to hospital.
In a statement, the officials said other students had also tried the drink and were checked out by the health office afterwards.
The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office were contacted about the incident, leading to the arrest of Rossi the following day.
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Rossi admitted to having spiked the drink, which was made with Gatorade, with a mixture of lemon, salt, and vinegar, and claimed she was a nurse and that the concoction wasn't harmful.
Rossi told deputies that she 'only did it to stop the bullies at her son’s school', with the affidavit reading: “The [son] stated the drink mixture was made due to the child stealing his drink the day prior and being bullied by the child...
"Rossi admitted to making the mixture due to her son... stating the child stole his drink and was bullying him."
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Bexar County Sheriff’s Office said that while the contents of the drink were non-toxic, 'the incident resulted in a child being hospitalized'.
It said: “Hospital staff informed the investigator that the child victim required additional medical monitoring and would eventually be discharged from the hospital.”
Rossi's son was disciplined at school over the incident, and the mom took full responsibility and was charged with Injury to a Child, a state jail felony.
She has since posted bond and has a pre-trial hearing in April.
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After consuming the drink, the 11-year-old has returned home from hospital and is said to be doing well.
Emily Brown