Two hospitalized after a pill scare at West Jones Middle School

JONES COUNTY, Miss. (WDAM) - A teacher and school resource officer (SRO) were hospitalized after a medical reaction at the West Jones Middle School campus.

The teacher found an unidentified pill in her classroom early in the morning on Wednesday, Aug. 24, and took it to the office for the SRO to analyze. Both the teacher and SRO held the pill for several minutes before beginning to feel different.

“As a precautionary measure, the school resource officer had Narcan, so, in fear of something laced with fentanyl, they took the Narcan,” said Jones County Superintendent Tommy Parker.

After being sent to a local hospital, the two are now at home recovering.

In an attempt to determine what the pill was, the Jones County Sheriff’s Department sent the pill to Jackson for it to be tested.

“It was identified as an Adderall pill, an amphetamine pill,” said Narcotics Sergeant Jake Driskell. “Commonly prescribed for ADHD and disorders like that.”

Though it was identified as a more common medication, reactions like this can still happen. The JCSD said they want people to be aware of possible reactions but not to panic.

“Anytime you’re dealing with a prescription drug, you always have something to worry about,” said Driskell. “Kids all over the schools in Jones County, Mississippi and nationwide are prescribed this medication. So, I don’t think it’s anything to be necessarily alarmed about, but I think it’s a good lesson for us to be conscious and aware of things like this and what may happen.”

Superintendent Parker reminds parents to have their child’s medications filed with the front office, so they can make sure their medication is distributed correctly.

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