Statesville hospital workers fall sick from pot-laced baked goods

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By Liz Foster

STATESVILLE, N.C. — Six employees at Davis Regional Medical Center in Statesville were treated in the emergency room after eating cookies and muffins that had been laced with pot.

“These days and times, nothing hardly surprises me anymore,” said William Revell, a Statesville resident.

Melvin Tomlin believes it’s possible the employees interacted with patients before realizing they were sick.

“Maybe they didn’t. After they got high, they didn’t really know that they were high,” Tomlin said.

Police said they were called to the hospital on March 19 to investigate.

Investigators said a worker brought in cookies and muffins that a family member had baked and left them in the kitchen.

The worker told police they didn’t know there was THC oil, the psychoactive compound found in cannabis, in the cookies.

“I think that they probably did know and I’m just hoping they weren’t treating any patients after they consumed those cookies,” Candy Feimster said.

A hospital spokesperson sent Channel 9 a statement:

On Sunday, March 19, baked goods created by an outside source were brought into our ER and several employees consumed them.  The department director recognized the situation and took action to alert authorities and treat the affected employees.  Patient care was not impacted. The police investigation determined the individual who brought the baked goods was not aware of the marijuana and found the incident to be accidental. We are committed to providing patients with safe care and appreciate the timely action of our director to manage the situation.

Statesville police turned over their investigation and findings to the district attorney’s office. The office did not file any charges against the employee or the family member.

"That does surprise me. Somebody should take the blame," Tomlin said.

Eyewitness News anchor Liz Foster asked police why no one is being charged.

Police said, “Because the family member who baked the cookies didn’t have drugs on them when questioned, a criminal charge would have been hard to prove in court.”

Authorities said patient care was not compromised.

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