FRESNO,CA (KMJ) – Two students at Carl Smith Middle School in Terra Bella are hospitalized after balloons filled with cocaine popped on campus Friday.
Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreux says the students found the balloons on the school’s playground around 8:40 a.m. on Friday.
The white substance later identified as cocaine became airborne when the balloons popped.
“Ambulance crews were called out to the school and conducted field evaluations on 13 identified exposed children from the result of them playing with those balloons. From the results we have found that all are negative at this point as to being under the influence or dangerous exposure to the cocaine,” said Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreux.
Two students became dizzy and were taken to Sierra View Medical Center in Porterville as a precaution, and their parents were notified..
A Tulare County Sheriff’s Office K9 Deputy, along with his handler, were called out the scene and the dog alerted deputies to the area where the balloons had originally been found.
Sheriff Boudreux says a 13-year-old boy has been identified as the one bringing the balloons on campus.
The K9 also alerted deputies to that boy’s shorts, which ended up testing positive for drugs.
TAGNET (Tulare Area Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team) was called out to assume the investigation.
Deputies found the point of origin for the drugs at the boy’s home and a search warrant was being written.
The 13-year-old was being interviewed by detectives.
Students at Carl F. Smith Middle School are in grades 6-8. Almost 300 children attend the school.
School statement: Our greatest concern is for the safety of our children. The Sheriff has made phone calls to the Superintendent and the Principal to reassure them that the Department is committed to making sure students are safe both in and out of school.
Click to hear the report by KMJ’S Liz Kern:
