Pasco teen taken to the hospital after eating possible tainted Halloween candy, family says
WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. - The Pasco County Sheriff's Office is investigating after a teen got sick from eating what may have been tainted Halloween candy.
It was a scary ordeal for 16-year-old Julia Brocato. She wanted a piece of her brother's candy, but moments after eating it, she immediately felt sick.
Her dad who's an officer with the Tampa Police Department handed over the tainted candy to law enforcement and now the Department of Homeland security is looking into what happened.
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The tainted candy in question was a bag of Reese's pieces. At first glance, Julia didn't think twice before popping a few in her mouth, but then she noticed something odd.
"I poured it in my hand. This is after I ate two of them, and I noticed there was like white stuff on it," she said.
About 10 minutes later, she started feeling sick.
"My head was like, on fire, and I felt like I was going to throw up, and I was shaking a lot and my mouth was dry in my throat like it was going to close," Julia said.
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She was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance. According to the family, the doctor told them her symptoms were consistent with amphetamines, but no tests have been able to confirm exactly what she ingested.
"Just very grateful. It could have been a lot worse. She has her 17th birthday next Wednesday, and it's going to be the best birthday we've ever celebrated," Julia's mom Veronica Brocato said.
Before opening the bag, Julia remembered seeing these two odd slits in the top right corner of the bag. After the family reached out to neighbors at least four other people found similar slits on their Reese's pieces bags.
Julia dad's Jason Brocato, who is a Tampa police officer, reported it to the Pasco County Sheriff's Office, who's now investigating. The sheriff's office said the candy is being sent off to a lab to be tested.
"I just think it was sick if someone did that on purpose," Julia said.
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Her mom Veronica said her son, whose bag of the candy the Reese's Pieces came from, only trick-or-treated on one street – War Admiral Drive in the Saratoga Village subdivision. Pasco Sheriff's Office won't say more about what happened, only saying they are investigating.
Anyone with information is asked to the call the Pasco County Sheriff's Office.