The sick snooze tactics were reportedly used at Northgate Crossing Elementary School in Texas last month, but were quickly foiled when a four-year-old snuck her patch – which teachers framed as special “sleepy stickers” – outside of class and showed it to her mom.
“She said, ‘It is a sleeping sticker,” Lisa Luviano said of her daughter while speaking to ABC Houston affiliate KTRK.
“I asked, ‘Where did you get this?’ And she said, ‘My teacher gives it to me for sleeping time.’
“The next day, we went to the school. We brought the evidence up there, and we filed a report. We did say we wanted to file criminal charges if this is something that is true.”
As well as reporting the issue to officials, baffled Luviano rushed to ask parents if they were aware of the patches.
Melissa Gilford, whose four-year-old daughter also goes to the school, said her child immediately recognized the sticker.
“If you read the ingredients … it has a lot of things I’ve never even heard of,” she told CBS affiliate WDBJ7.
The pale blue patches – which appear to be from the brand Klova – are decorated with twinkling stars, cartoon clouds and a large moon on the outside.
But while they may appear child friendly, in reality they are sleep aids containing melatonin intended for adults.
According to Klova’s website, the ‘Original Sleep ZPatch’ contains Melatonin, L-Theanine, Gaba, Cosmoperine, Passion Flower, Lavender Oil, Valerian, Sensoril Ashwagandha, and hops.
A box of 28 will set you back $34.99 and boasts it will “guarantee your most restful sleep eve.”
But mom Najala Abdullah, said she noticed changes in her son’s behavior, around the time the patches were discovered.
She claims he stopped eating, was crying more and brought home his lunch from school untouched.
It was only later that she learned her little boy had been given the patches.
“They were giving them drugs to make them sleep to keep them quiet,” Abdullah alleged.
Northgate Crossing Elementary School’s principal said two staff members, who have not been named, have since been placed on leave.
She also said police are investigating.
“As part of our commitment to transparency, we want to inform you about recent allegations concerning two staff members at Northgate Crossing Elementary School,” Principal Marangelly Harris wrote in a letter to parents.
“It has been reported that these staff members allegedly administered sleeping supplements to students on September 24.
“Please be assured that the staff members were immediately removed from the classroom and placed on administrative leave while the Spring ISD Police Department conducts a thorough investigation.”
Harris insisted the school’s top priority was to keep its students safe while upholding their wellbeing.
She also urged parents to come forward with any other questions or issues.
The school district said in a statement, “Spring ISD is aware of allegations that two staff members at Northgate Crossing Elementary School allegedly administered sleeping supplements to students on Sept. 24.
“These staff members were immediately removed from the classroom and placed on administrative leave pending an ongoing investigation by the Spring ISD Police Department.
