Several students at East Iredell Middle School got sick Friday afternoon after allegedly eating homemade cookies brought to campus by another student, and four of them ended up in the hospital. The illnesses, which included headaches and vomiting, prompted a response from EMS crews and detectives from the sheriff's office, though no one suffered life-threatening symptoms.
Symptoms Surfaced Shortly After 1 p.m.
According to wxii12.com, the school resource officer requested EMS at about 1:15 p.m. Friday after multiple students reported headaches and vomiting. EMS evaluated the sick students on-site, and four were ultimately taken to a hospital at the request of their parents or guardians. None of the students experienced life-threatening reactions, the station reported.
Detectives with the sheriff's office's Narcotics Investigations Unit also responded to the school and spoke with the student who had brought the cookies, along with that student's parents, per the same account. As of the latest update, the investigation remained ongoing and no arrests had been made. The sheriff's office has not disclosed how many students ate the cookies, and it remains unclear whether anything was inside them or what exactly caused the sickness.
School District Response
Iredell-Statesville Schools said it is working with the Iredell County Sheriff's Office to investigate the incident and confirmed that all students who participated in eating a homemade cookie brought by a classmate have been assessed. The district also said it contacted law enforcement and emergency management as part of its response.
In a statement reported by qcnews.com, the district said, “We encourage parents to have a conversation with their child about the importance of not ingesting anything that they did not bring with them or that was not served in the cafeteria.” The district indicated it would wait for more facts before communicating further with parents.
Similar Cases Reported Elsewhere
East Iredell's incident echoes a pattern seen at other middle schools in recent months. In Alabama, multiple students at Clay-Chalkville Middle School reportedly became ill in October 2025 after eating cookies that a classmate had brought to school and sold, according to al.com. Center Point Fire was dispatched for a medical incident involving five patients, with one student transported to a hospital, and authorities said as many as 20 students could have been involved, though the exact number was unknown. Initial testing of those cookies showed no signs of illicit substances.
A separate case unfolded in central Texas, where four students at Goodnight Middle School reportedly got sick after buying and eating cookies sold by a school staff member, according to usatoday.com. The San Marcos Police Department investigated whether anything in the cookies had made the students feel unwell and collected the cookies for testing, while the staff member who sold them was removed from the district as the investigation proceeded.
Back in Iredell County, first reported by WBTV, the case remains unresolved. No arrests have been made, and officials have not said whether the cookies will be tested or whether disciplinary action is being considered.
