A routine morning ride to school in McAllen turned into a medical emergency last Wednesday when a 12-year-old student collapsed after inhaling from a vape pen on a school bus, according to police. First responders administered naloxone (Narcan) and rushed the child to a hospital after he lost consciousness, began vomiting and started behaving erratically. Investigators say another student handed over the vape during the ride and has since been detained in connection with the incident.
Officers were dispatched around 7:34 a.m. to the 14000 block of North 29th Street after reports of an unconscious student who may have inhaled an unknown substance, San Antonio Express-News reported. Police found the child on a school bus and launched a preliminary investigation right there at the scene. The student remained on the bus after it arrived at school before being transported to the hospital.
IDEA Quest officials said the campus treated the situation as a medical emergency and noted that any discipline for those involved will follow district policy, according to KRGV. A male student was identified as the source of the vape device and detained, and police say he is expected to face charges tied to the incident. The investigation is still underway, with state and federal agencies assisting McAllen police.
Lab Tests And What Investigators Found
Preliminary lab testing showed the vape cartridge contained roughly 50% benzylpiperazine (BZP), investigators said, as reported by San Antonio Express-News. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration classifies benzylpiperazine as a Schedule I substance, meaning it has no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse, according to the DEA.
Charges, Penalties And What Comes Next
Police have not yet specified the exact charges the detained student could face, but KRGV reports he is being held in connection with the incident. Under the Texas Health and Safety Code, delivering or possessing with intent to deliver controlled substances in Penalty Group 2 can be prosecuted under Section 481.113 and carries penalties that range from a state jail felony to a first-degree felony, depending on the amount involved, per Texas law.
