An Alabama couple is seeking answers and accountability after their 4-year-old daughter was hospitalized with a dangerously high blood alcohol level — more than four times the legal limit for adult drivers — following an incident at her school.
Mary and Albert Singleton were shocked when their daughter appeared limp and nearly unresponsive at pickup time. “She was slobbering at the mouth,” said Mary. “She was heavy, and the teacher handed her to me saying we probably needed to take her to the ER.”
Doctors at Children’s and Women’s Hospital in Mobile confirmed that the child had ingested a large amount of ethanol (ethyl alcohol) and placed her in the ICU for two days. A toxicology report showed a blood alcohol content of 0.29%, a potentially lethal level in a child so young.
Authorities have not yet determined how the child accessed the alcohol. Ethanol is commonly found in hand sanitizers, some personal care products, and household cleaners. The school and police have launched an investigation.
“It’s hard to deal with when you see your child walking into school and being carried out,” said Albert Singleton. The parents say they won’t rest until they know how this happened — and how it will be prevented from happening again.