Daycare owner charged after toddlers get high on THC-laced goldfish crackers

• Three toddlers at a Virginia daycare facility were hospitalized after consuming THC-laced goldfish crackers.
• THC, the main psychoactive compound found in marijuana, gives people the sensation of feeling high.

A Virginia daycare owner has been charged after three toddlers ate THC-laced goldfish crackers, authorities said on Friday, CBS affiliate WTVR reported.

The toddlers, all aged one, were taken to hospital on March 2, 2022, after their parents "observed lethargic and uncoordinated behavior" and "glassy, bloodshot eyes," according to a press release from Stafford County Sheriff's Office.

Hospital staff "quickly recognized" the symptoms and tested the children, the press release said.

Tests confirmed that each child had been exposed to THC. THC is the main psychoactive compound found in marijuana that makes people feel high.

Detectives searched the premises of the daycare center in Windsor Forest in Virginia, a suburb of Williamsburg, and located goldfish crackers near the highchairs of the toddlers.

Lab testing revealed the presence of THC in the crackers, the sheriff's office said.

Information on how the THC got into the snack has not been released, WTVR reported.

Child Protective Services was notified and became involved in the case. The daycare center voluntarily surrendered its license.

Rebecca Swanner, 60, who owned the daycare facility was charged with three counts of cruelty and injury to children.

She was released by the magistrate on a $2,000 unsecured bond.