Summer Camp Shock: Kids in 'Zombie-Like' State After Chocolate Incident

In a major mushroom mishap, 13 children were reportedly left in a "zombie-like" state after allegedly eating chocolate believed to contain psychedelics at a summer day camp in New Jersey. On Thursday, July 23, a camp counsellor reportedly saw one child handing out what appeared to be sweets or chocolate to other kids at the YMCA camp in East Orange. According to reports, one child began feeling unwell shortly after eating the chocolate. Twelve other children then came forward with similar symptoms, prompting camp staff to contact the emergency services and parents. Psilocybe mushrooms can cause significant changes, such as visual distortions, euphoria, and potential physical discomfort. Credit: Bloomberg Creative / Getty One frightened mother said the children looked like zombies One mother, Cynthia Cunningham, told CBS News that she received a call informing her that her 12-year-old daughter was among the children affected. Cunningham told the news channel: "When I arrived to the YMCA, it was about 13 children. They, for lack of better words, they looked like zombies." She added that her daughter's eyes appeared "low and droopy" and the child was terrifyingly “keeling over”. Cunningham said her daughter told her that she believed she was eating a normal piece of chocolate. However, the girl reportedly noticed that, but “the taste was off and she spat it out”. Although the police and emergency medical personnel arrived swiftly at the scene shortly after 11 a.m, only one child was taken to hospital due to a pre-existing condition. However, Cunningham drove her daughter to the hospital, but thankfully she was in a stable condition. Cops have announced that a suspect has been identified in connection with the incident, although no charges have yet been filed. The mushrooms are illegal in most countries. Credit: Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post/Getty East Orange Police Chief Phyllis Bindi said officials are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident and trying to work out if any crimes were committed. The YMCA said in a statement that its rules prohibit campers from sharing food, and when children were spotted "having an adverse reaction to the substance, we immediately enacted our emergency protocols, contacting emergency services, parents and the police.” New Jersey plan to use psychedelics to treat mental illnesses Despite no children coming to serious harm, the terrifying incident has sparked a conversation around the risks associated with psychedelic substances . The chocolate was suspected of containing psilocybin, a naturally occurring hallucinogenic compound found in certain types of mushrooms commonly used recreationally. While psilocybin remains illegal for recreational use under US federal law, in January, New Jersey’s then-governor Phil Murphy signed legislation authorising $6 million for a pilot programme examining the use of psilocybin to treat conditions including post-traumatic stress disorder and drug-resistant depression. Featured image credit: Bloomberg Creative / Getty