Poison claim prompts response

A woman and her two children had to be hospitalized Thursday after showing up at an elementary school, claiming they had been poisoned.

At approximately 3 p.m., a woman arrived at Clover Valley Elementary School with her two small children, a boy and a girl.

“The mother was at the school talking with (school) authorities at their request,” Island County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Jan Smith said.

It is not apparent why the talk was requested. Smith would not comment further and federal privacy laws prevent the release of the names of those hospitalized.

Emergency personnel evaluated the three and transported them to Whidbey General Hospital. Marv Koorn, North Whidbey Island Fire and Rescue chief, said that the woman was conscious, alert and talking. He added the situation was not school related.

Clover Valley Principal Ric Packard said that the woman came into the office complaining of a medical problem.

“The nurse was told that (the woman) and her children had ingested poison,” he said. “It was an interesting afternoon.”

On Friday, Packard issued a letter to parents of children at the school. In the letter, he explained that the poisoning did not happen on school grounds. The woman reported it to school officials, who then called 911.

“A parent of two Clover Valley children was in our office complaining of a medical problem,” the letter stated. “She felt that she and her children may have ingested something in their home that was making them sick.”

Whidbey Island Naval Air Station Security and the Island County Sheriff’s Office also responded. The school nurse, Robbin White, would not comment on the incident.

The woman was sitting upright on a gurney when paramedics brought her out of the school to transport her. Although school officials said that the woman told the nurse that the children may have ingested the substance at home, emergency personnel were seen carrying a water bottle with rubber gloves.

In addition, Base security were seen searching a white, Chevrolet van.

Smith said that officers conducted a lengthy investigation throughout the night. That investigation continued through Friday as well.

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