The Civil Police in Rio de Janeiro are investigating a serious complaint made by a family who accuse nursery school staff of doping their two-year-old son. The incident allegedly took place on June 16.

The complaint

According to the parents, the child came home that day with obvious signs of sedation, unable to hold a bottle or stand up. Laís Torres, the boy's mother, told G1 that her son is autistic, but that his main difficulty is in speaking. He has no locomotion problems and likes to ride his bike.

However, on June 16, the boy showed extreme tiredness and motor difficulties, atypical behaviors for him. The family accuses the municipal nursery school, Espaço de Desenvolvimento Infantil René Biscaia, of administering sedative substances to the child.

The hospital and stomach washing

Concerned about their son's strange behavior, his parents took him to the hospital, where he collapsed. The child was rushed to hospital at the risk of being intubated.

"The doctor said he was going to give him some medicine and see if it worked, if it didn't he would be intubated. It was the worst 20 minutes of my life," described the mother.

The boy had his stomach pumped and the doctor who attended him suggested registering a police report when he noticed signs of sedation.

Toxicology Test and Results

Following the recommendation, the family filed a police report and had a toxicology test carried out at a private clinic, as the police did not request the test. The result revealed the presence of zolpidem in the child's system.

"How can the school that is supposed to pick him up and look after him do something like this? Autism is not for the poor in Brazil, everything is fought over," lamented Luiz Felipe, the boy's father.

Ongoing investigations

The Civil Police are now investigating the case to determine how the substance got into the child's system and who is responsible. The municipal nursery school Espaço de Desenvolvimento Infantil René Biscaia has yet to comment on the accusations.

Reflection and Lamentation

This case brings up a serious discussion about the responsibility and care needed in institutions that care for children with special needs. The trust placed in these institutions by parents is invaluable, and situations like this deeply undermine that trust.

The family continues to seek answers and justice for what happened, while the community is closely following the progress of the investigations, hoping that measures will be taken to prevent similar cases from happening again.