The father of a student who allegedly brought a "white powdered substance" into a suburban elementary school, sickening multiple students, has been arrested and charged, police said.
Emilio Contreras, 37, of Maywood, was charged with five counts of child endangerment, one count of a possession of a controlled substance and one count of verbal assault to a staff member, according to Maywood police.
Contreras is accused of providing an illegal substance to his son, who brought a sandwich bag filled with it to Garfield Elementary School in Maywood.
Not long after, the school informed police that five juvenile students were complaining of various sicknesses from ingesting the substance.
A lab test revealed the powder was an illegal substance, but further analysis was needed to determine what kind, police said.
Multiple students from the west suburban elementary school were taken to the hospital.
In a letter to parents, the principal at Garfield Elementary in Maywood said "a few students were taken by ambulance after ingesting an unknown substance that they apparently got from another student."
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"As soon as we learned about the incident we contacted medical professionals and the students were taken to the hospital and checked out as a precaution," the letter from Marsha Alexander read. "Fortunately as of this communication these students appear to be fine."
The school noted that police were investigating the incident but declined to comment on whether any disciplinary action would be taken against students involved.
Contreras is expected to appear in bond court Friday.
