Four employees from a daycare in New Hampshire have been arrested for allegedly adding melatonin, a sleep supplement, to children’s food.
In November 2023, authorities launched an investigation at a daycare in Manchester, New Hampshire, located just 30 minutes away from the state capital of Concord. The subsequent arrests are a result of this investigation.
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According to a press release from the Manchester police department, authorities were alerted to a report of “unsafe practices going on” at the day care in question.
Dreckmann and her three colleagues are each facing 10 charges of endangering children, as reported by the New York Daily News.
The exact number of children at the daycare who had been receiving melatonin and the duration of the administration remained unclear as of Friday.
Melatonin, an over-the-counter sleep aid supplement, is commonly used. However, there is limited knowledge regarding its potential long-term effects on children.
In recent years, there have been multiple reports of children accidentally overdosing on melatonin. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 7% of emergency department visits between 2012 and 2021 were related to children ingesting melatonin.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has issued a health warning regarding the use of melatonin in children and adolescents. They have expressed concerns about the lack of oversight from the US Food and Drug Administration for this sleep aid.
“I know because I’m a grandparent,” expressed Gary Boucher. “And let me tell you, it’s outrageous – truly unacceptable.”
“If it were my child, I would be incredibly devastated.”
Boucher expressed his hope that authorities would take further action beyond the arrests made at the daycare, by permanently closing down the facility.
