Suspect allegedly 'ran out of candy,' passed out gummy bears laced with drugs in suburban Chicago
Man ran out of candy, handed out cannabis gummies for Halloween: police
"He said that he ran out of candy. So he had some, some little baggies and he put some of his gummies in there and started distributing them," said Chief Joyce. "One of the neighbors said that he had a bowl full of them and after during the interview, he said that he distributed – he probably gave about 20 of them out."
SOUTH CHICAGO HEIGHTS - Police in one Chicago suburb are warning families about candy in their kids' trick-or-treat bags possibly laced with drugs.
So far, they’ve recovered 8 suspicious bags.
Police say that if children went trick-or-treating in South Chicago Heights, specifically in the 200 block of Cherry Lane, their candy bags may contain yellow gummy bears that may be contaminated.
"I was walking down the street and someone commented that someone was handing out black packets of marijuana gummies," said one dad, who didn’t want to be identified. "I checked my 4-year-old daughter’s bag and yes, I found three packets of gummies that smelled like marijuana."
South Chicago Heights Police Chief Bill Joyce told FOX 32 a Cook County drug-sniffing dog confirmed the bags were suspicious after the dog sniffed them out, but police were still waiting on official crime lab results.
The gummy bears are being tested by a crime lab to determine what exactly they are contaminated with, but it is believed to be cannabis, police said.
If any of the gummy bears have been consumed by a child, police advise parents to seek medical advice.
The possibly contaminated candy is described as yellow colored gummy bears packaged with no branding or print, in clear shrink film over silver foil with a black back panel. Residents are asked not to open the packages, and to call police and turn the packages in.
Yellow gummy bears possibly laced with cannabis | South Chicago Heights Police Department
Police are working to recover all the illegally distributed candy before any possible issues arise. Police have not yet been notified of any children ingesting the gummy bears.
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A person believed to be responsible for distributing the gummy bears has been arrested and charged with five counts of child endangerment, police said. He's been identified as 25-year-old Jarod Feilen.
Jarod Feilen | South Chicago Heights Police Department
"He said that he ran out of candy. So he had some, some little baggies and he put some of his gummies in there and started distributing them," said Chief Joyce. "One of the neighbors said that he had a bowl full of them and after during the interview, he said that he distributed – he probably gave about 20 of them out."
Anyone with information, or anyone that's in possession of the possibly contaminated packages is urged to contact the South Chicago Heights Police Department at 708-755-3520.