Two preschool teachers are suspended after allegedly drugging their students to keep them quiet in class .
Lisa Luviano's daughter came home one day after school and showed her a "sleeping sticker." She told Luviano her teacher had given her the patch in class that day.
"I asked, 'Where did you get this?' And she said, 'My teacher gives it to me for sleeping time,'" the mother told KTRK . She said she brought her daughter to the school the next day, and they brought the patch with them, presenting it as evidence, and filed a report.
"We did say we wanted to file criminal charges if this is something that is true," she added. The incident unfolded at Northgate Crossing Elementary School in Texas in September, it was reported, which is located in Spring, a northern suburb of Houston.
It turned out the patches contained melatonin, a common chemical produced by the body that regulates our sleep schedules. They can come in pill form or patches, and they're normally intended for adults who struggle with sleeping.
Luviano said she rushed to report the incident to local officials and then raced to ask other parents if they were aware of the patches, too. Melissa Gilford, the mother of another 4-year-old girl who attended the same school, said her child immediately recognized the sticker.
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Speaking to WDBJ7 , Gilford said she read the ingredients in the patch and said it contains "a lot of things I've never even heard of." The patches are decorated with twinkling stars, cartoon clouds and a large moon on the outside, appearing like normal stickers. But, they're actually drugs produced by the brand Klova.
According to the brand's website, the stickers, which are called the "Original Sleep ZPatch," contain melatonin, L-Theanine, GABA, Cosmoperine, passion flower, lavender oil, Sensoril Ashwagandha and hops. The company sells them in boxes of 28 for $34.99 and markets the patches as being able to "guarantee your most restful sleep ever."
Najala Abdullah, another mother whose toddler is a student at the preschool, said her son's behavior changed around the time the patches were discovered. She said he stopped eating, was crying more and even brought home his lunch untouched.
"They were giving them drugs to make them sleep to keep them quiet," she alleged, blaming the patches on her son's altered condition. Both staff members were placed on administrative leave and the school and local police are both investigating the incident.
"As part of our commitment to transparency, we want to inform you about recent allegations concerning two staff members at Northgate Crossing Elementary School," Principal Marangelly Harris wrote in a letter to parents obtained by The Sun .
"It has been reported that these staff members allegedly administered sleeping supplements to students on September 24. Please be assured that the staff members were immediately removed from the classroom and placed on administrative leave while the Spring ISD Police Department conducts a thorough investigation," she continued.
Another statement from the Spring Independent School District reads, "Spring ISD is aware of allegations that two staff members at Northgate Crossing Elementary School allegedly administered sleeping supplements to students on Sept. 24. These staff members were immediately removed from the classroom and placed on administrative leave pending an ongoing investigation by the Spring ISD Police Department."
"The district takes every allegation of educator misconduct seriously and will take all necessary measures to ensure that our students are educated in a safe and nurturing environment," it continued.
Harris emphasized that the safety and well-being of the students is the most important priority, and the district remains committed to that as the investigation continues.
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