Mom charged with murder after 4-year-old dies from THC edibles

Through Nina Zdinjak

Children becoming ill from cannabis edibles are happening with more regularity as marijuana becomes mainstream as some adults are irresponsibly careless. And while children mostly make a full recovery, sometimes things turn to a real-life horror story.

Dorothy Annette Clements, a 30-year-old Virginia mother, has been charged with murder and child neglect after her 4-year-old son died of complications from THC poisoning after eating his mother’s edibles, local police reported.

Clements was arrested Wednesday, two days after the Spotsylvania County grand jury indicted her in her son’s death. Tanner Clements died May 8 following a medical emergency. The treating doctor told investigators on the case at the Child Victims Unit that the boy would have been alive if he had received medical attention quickly after ingestion.

Clements told police she called the poison control center after her son ate half a CBD gummie. She said representatives told her he should be fine. Doctors then confirmed that an autopsy report showed high THC levels as the cause of death, writes NBC Washington. Additionally, detectives found an empty gummy THC jar in the home where Tanner was found.

Clements faces up to 40 years in prison for murder.

Poison Control warned that “serious and sometimes life-threatening side effects can occur in children who use cannabis edibles,” so adults should keep these products out of the reach of children.

What should individuals do in case of side effects?

The agency said it is busy finding the solution to this problem and constantly monitoring the market. It advises consumers to call 911 if anyone has a serious side effect from these products, keep them out of the reach of children, and call the local poison control center (1-800-222-1222) if a child has consumed these products without reporting the occurrence of waiting for symptoms.



Cannabis Mimic

More frequent reports of poisoning from the consumption of cannabis edibles usually come around Halloween and are unfounded. Part of the blame this time of year also lies with the companies that produce cannabis-infused generic products that look almost identical to popular confectionery products.

In April, researchers from the NYU School of Global Public Health revealed that “copycat” edibles can have tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, levels “far exceeding the limits set by state cannabis regulations” and can easily be confused with popular snack foods. A few weeks later, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned all consumers about accidental ingestion of THC-containing foods by children.

RELATED: No one gives their kids weed for Halloween, but here’s how to prevent them from accidentally eating some

“Edibles are a popular and growing segment of the cannabis market. In states where cannabis use is legal, more than half (56%) of people who use cannabis consume edibles, with younger people being more likely to do so,” NYU reported in a recent press release. “These copycat cannabis products pose a public health concern because people — including children — may confuse them with snack foods and inadvertently consume them. From 2017 to 2019, the U.S. Poison Control Center treated nearly 2,000 cases of young children ages 0 to 9 years who consumed edibles.”

The FDA said THC edibles can be easily confused with commonly consumed foods like breakfast cereal, candy, and cookies, and accidentally ingested, which can lead to adverse events, especially in children.

Image: Courtesy of the FDA

The agency also reiterated that some edible products are specifically designed to look like popular branded foods, using similar brand names, logos and packaging designs.

RELATED: FDA Warns About THC Mimics, Children in Serious Danger

The FDA is aware of reports of copycat products packaged to look like Cap’n Crunch, Cocoa Pebbles, Cocoa Puffs, Froot Loops, Fruity Pebbles, Nerds Ropes, Starbursts, Sour Patch Kids, and Trix, among others.

From January 2021 to April 2022, the FDA received more than 100 adverse reports from children and adults consuming THC-infused edibles. Some of these people had side effects such as hallucinations, increased heart rate, and vomiting, and many had to be hospitalized.

This article originally appeared on Benzinga and has been republished with permission.