Natrona County Toddler Lifeflighted After Ingesting THC, Guardians Charged with Child Endangerment

According to court records, a toddler was taken to Wyoming Medical Center on Sep. 23. The nurse assigned to the toddler noticed they were unresponsive to pain, including during catheter insertion.

The toddler's injuries included a black eye, scratches on the chin, and bruising behind the ear. The mother told medical staff three separate stories explaining her child's injuries. This per court records.

A urinalysis showed the toddler tested positive for THC. The nurse also told authorities she noticed loose marijuana in the child's clothing.

Due to the child's unresponsiveness and the Wyoming Medical Center not having a Pediatric Neurologist, the child was life flighted to Denver for further evaluation. Subsequently, the toddler's guardians were arrested and appeared in Natrona County Circuit Court before Judge Nichole Collier earlier this week.

Jeri Burch and Aaron Collins were both charged with child endangerment and possession of a controlled substance.

Updates on the child's wellbeing were not available.

During the investigation that followed, police found a baggie of "moonrock" -- a keef substance mixed with THC resin -- in the home where the defendants lived. Collins told police the product was Delta-8, purchased from a local dispensary.

In the master bedroom where a pack-n-play was located, officers found sticky stains and puddles of dog urine on the wooden floor, moldy food and the smell of decay, several sharp open knives within reach of a toddler, and unsecured cleaning products. There was a syringe of suspected methamphetamine on the nightstand in the room about two feet off the ground.

Police also located a safe in the house containing 74 syringes showing signs of use including a small amount of liquid substance that tested positive for methamphetamine.

The judge set bond at $25,000 cash or surety for each defendant. They will have preliminary hearings in the next 10 to 20 days to determine if there is probable cause to move the case to District Court.

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According to the National Capital Poison Control, clinical effects that occur in children after ingestion of THC-containing products include vomiting, dizziness, difficulty waking, a rapid heart rate, drowsiness, confusion, and breathing difficulties. In severe cases, hallucinations, an abnormally slow heart rate, and low blood pressure may occur.

Recent published medical literature suggests that young children who are exposed to THC-containing products may require hospital admission and respiratory support. The signs and symptoms of cannabis poisoning in children may last for hours, and some patients with severe symptoms may require admission to the Intensive Care Unit for careful monitoring.

Parents or caregivers should contact poison control immediately for expert advice if a child ingests THC products. Parents and caregivers should call poison control regardless of whether symptoms are present because signs and symptoms may not occur immediately after consumption. This is because the signs and symptoms of intoxication occur more slowly and less predictably than after inhalation.