(TENNESSEE) — A Tennessee mother is facing a criminal charge and her two children were removed from her custody after investigators said they consumed her THC hemp gummies, leading to their hospitalization.
The children, both under the age of 8, have been placed under the custody of the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services after their mother failed a drug test for methamphetamine, according to the district attorney general.
Candice Hickson is being charged with child neglect and endangerment, according to an arrest warrant. Her bail is set at $25,000, according to the warrant.
“Our Office will prosecute this case within the letter of the law, balancing the need to help Ms. Hickson get treatment for her addiction, so that she can eventually reunite with her children in a safe environment,” District Attorney General Frederick Agee said in a statement.
Hickson called 911 to report a possible overdose after her two children consumed her gummies last week at their home in Milan, Tennessee, according to the arrest warrant. When officers arrived on the scene, both children were unresponsive.
Hickson told officers the children were able to reach the gummies when she went to the bathroom and she was not sure how many the children had consumed, according to the arrest warrant.
The children were then taken to Le Bonheur Hospital in Memphis and released within 48 hours, according to the district attorney general.
THC hemp gummies are legal for adults 21 years and older in Tennessee, according to state law.
“Although we take any case where children are harmed very seriously, we are unaware of any incident in Tennessee or the U.S. where a child, teenager, or adult has died solely from consuming legal Hemp THC gummies,” Agee said.
He added, “However, this is a cautionary reminder to parents to secure legal substances that might cause adverse reactions away from their children, especially those drugs with more potent and addictive effects like Oxycodone, Xanax, Hydrocodone, and other opioids.”
Hickson is expected to appear again at Gibson County General Sessions court on Dec. 16. No attorney was listed for Hickson.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
