Student hospitalized from suspected poisoning; Frisco police investigating
FRISCO — Only days into the new school year, a mystery surrounds what happened to a Frisco ISD middle school student. It's getting a lot of attention from parents on social media.
Police are investigating.
Chandra Weekley said last Tuesday her 12-year-old son, Tristan, spent part of the day at Wester Middle School before security cameras revealed he walked through the cafeteria two minutes before the bell rang. She said he put down his backpack and ran off campus.
Weekley said Tristan was found in a neighborhood, about a minute 20 walk away, barely responsive. She said a homeowner called 911 and her son was taken to the hospital, going in and out of consciousness.
She said last week when her son was able to speak, he told her that a woman he didn't know, who he thought was an employee, approached him at school. She said he told her she tried to force some sort of ice cream or ice cream-like substance in his mouth.
Weekley said she later learned from hospital staff that her son had acetone in his system. She showed CBS News Texas the test result.
Now, the big question is what exactly happened? She wants answers.
Frisco police are investigating and have released a statement which reads:
"On Tuesday, August 13th, the Frisco Police Department took a report concerning an incident involving the welfare of a student from Wester Middle School. Due to the age of the student, little information is able to be released.
The investigation into this incident remains ongoing, and we are still trying to determine what transpired. Frisco PD was in contact with the family last week, and investigators, as well as our School Resource Officers, have spoken to them on a number of occasions and obtained a statement from the child. As part of the investigation, we hope to determine why he chose to leave campus after the bell, as opposed to going to meet his prearranged ride home. Frisco PD currently has no evidence yet to support anything criminal in this matter.
Reports like this are taken very seriously, and personnel from multiple units have invested a significant amount of time and effort into this investigation. If there is anything to suggest there is a danger to our community, we will share that publicly."
Wester Middle School's principal, Katie Granado sent a note to parents, which reads in part:
"Frisco ISD and Wester take all safety matters and concerns seriously. We immediately investigate concerns regarding student safety as soon as they are reported. When evidence indicates students were safe while on district property, the district partners with local law enforcement to investigate any potential off-site incidents.
In this case, our campus administration has worked in conjunction with the Frisco Police Department. At this time, there is limited information that we can share about any particular student due to privacy concerns as well as an ongoing investigation by Frisco PD. However, we can share that evidence shows the student left [the] district property safely during dismissal and without concern.
Frisco ISD and Wester have a strong partnership with the Frisco Police Department and emergency services. As you know, we have a Frisco Police Officer who supports our campus, and we work with him very closely anytime something arises that may jeopardize the safety or well-being of your students on campus ...
As a reminder, when there are concerns about safety on the campus, students and staff are encouraged to communicate with the campus to make sure the campus remains safe for all of us.
I want to assure you that the safety of your children is our highest priority."
Weekley told CBS News Texas she does not agree with these statements from police or the district. She's hired an attorney. Her attorney plans to release more information soon.