20 cadets taken to hospitals after illness reported following lunch, DC National Guard says
20th cadet taken to hospital by mother after youth academy illness
A 20th cadet was taken to a hospital by his mother after an illness sent 19 others to a hospital from a youth academy in Laurel, Maryland.
LAUREL, Md. - Nineteen cadets were transported to area hospitals for evaluation Sunday after reporting an illness following lunch at the Capital Guardian Youth Challenge Academy in Laurel, according to the DC National Guard.
One adult was evaluated at the scene and declined treatment, and on Monday, a mother told FOX 5 she had to take her son to the hospital hours after the incident.
What we know:
The incident was reported around 2:21 p.m. in the 3200 block of Oak Hill Drive.
RELATED: 19 cadets taken to hospitals after illness reported following lunch, DC National Guard says
In a statement to FOX 5 on Monday, DC National Guard officials said the cause of the illness has not been determined. They said the health and safety of cadets and staff remain their highest priority and that they are working with emergency medical personnel and public health authorities as the investigation continues.
Parents and guardians of the affected cadets were notified, officials said.
DC National Guard officials said 15 more individuals on campus were evaluated by medical personnel Monday, nine of whom were involved in Sunday's incident.
Nine of the individuals declined additional treatment, while another six were taken to local medical facilities for further evaluation. According to officials, none of the individuals had "acute or life-threatening conditions."
As the investigation continues, Anne Arundel County Fire officials said they conducted a carbon monoxide investigation but did not detect any environmental hazards.
DC National Guard officials said an independent environmental testing company was brought to the campus to conduct tests of the water, air and overall environment.
Officials have not confirmed the cause of the illness, but said it could be related to food.
"The health, safety, and well-being of our candidates and staff remain our highest priority. We will continue to cooperate fully with responding agencies and will provide additional information as it becomes available. At this time, it would be inappropriate to speculate on the cause of the incident while the investigation remains active," DC National Guard officials said.
The academy is an alternative education program for high school dropouts or teens who do not do well in traditional school settings.
What they're saying:
On Monday, a mother told FOX 5 that her son called around 8 p.m. Sunday, telling her that he felt fine while other cadets were taken away, but later he felt dizzy, had a headache and threw up.
The mother said she took her son to a hospital where blood tests revealed he had elevated levels of Carbon Monoxide.
"I'm just more concerned that whatever it is, it's checked. I want to make sure not just for my child, but for all the kids on campus," the mother, who asked to remain anonymous, told FOX 5's Sina Gebre-Ab.
"It's a bit overwhelming because when you send your child away you expect them to achieve what you've sent them away from. It was very alarming and scary," she added.
According to the mother, the academy is temporarily closing.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the DC National Guard.