FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — A Palm Coast father is facing serious charges after his 5-year-old daughter overdosed on cannabis gummies allegedly left within her reach.
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) said 29-year-old Ka Juan Harris waited hours before seeking help for his daughter, who had ingested the THC-laced candy last Monday. When the child was finally dropped off with her mother, she was reportedly unresponsive, unable to stand, and her eyes were rolling back.
The mother rushed the child to a children’s hospital, where she remained unconscious for two days before recovering.
This incident marks the second time the child has been hospitalized due to drug ingestion. According to deputies, she was previously exposed to an unknown opioid at just 10 months old, which led to developmental disabilities.
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Dr. Candice Jones, a pediatrician, emphasized the risks.
“Those children definitely can have impairment in the brain and body systems, cognitive impairment, problems with learning, speech delay, motor delay,” Jones said.
Dr. Jones also stressed the importance of immediate action in such cases.
“We should call 911. We can make a call to poison control, which is 1-800-222-1222. And they can start the process of helping you with that pathway of protecting the child,” she said.
Harris has been charged with child neglect with great bodily harm and has since posted a $25,000 bond. The investigation remains ongoing.
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