Two teens were arrested for spiking their teacher’s tea with hand sanitizer. Authorities in Virginia report that the 13-year-old boys admitted to trying to poison their teacher on more than one occasion.
The Hines Middle School students were reported by other students who witnessed the attempted poisoning. School officials reported the incident to the police.
When questioned, the boys eventually confessed that they were trying to poison their 66-year-old teacher by putting hand sanitizer in her tea. The boys reportedly admit spiking her drink at least two times.
As reported by NY Daily News , the teacher reported suffering mild stomach discomfort but was not hospitalized. School officials report that she has recovered and returned to work within a few days.
Many brands of hand sanitizer contain high levels of alcohol which may cause stomach discomfort or intoxication if ingested. Authorities estimate that the teacher consumed very little of the substance.
The teens were reportedly arrested and sent to separate alternative schools where they will remain until their criminal cases conclude. They are both facing felony charges of attempted poisoning for spiking their teacher’s tea with hand sanitizer. As the boys are juveniles, the court proceedings and records will not be released to the public.
As reported by ABC News , attempted poisoning is a class three felony in the state of Virginia. A class three felony is punishable with up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $100,000.
In 2008, another group of teens tried to poison their teacher with hand sanitizer . Three eighth-grade students in Lake City, Tennessee attempted to poison their teacher by adding hand sanitizer to her drink, which was left unattended on her desk.
As reported by Knoxnews.com , the teacher experienced stomach discomfort, but did not require medical attention. The students, who eventually admitted what they had done, were suspended from school. Authorities referred the case to Anderson County Juvenile Court.
Several teens have been arrested for spiking their teachers’ drinks with hand sanitizer. It is impossible to know if they were simply pulling a prank or if they were truly trying to cause their teacher’s harm.