Police: Parents say Twin Cities pre-K teacher gave kids sleep-inducing gummies before naptime

An Eden Prairie preschool teacher at a licensed day care facility is accused of slipping sleep-inducing gummies to her students just before naptime, according to police.

Parents of children attending Jardin Spanish Immersion Academy told officers late last month that their kids were given sugar-coated melatonin gummies by their teacher and instructed not to tell anyone, police said in a Wednesday court filing.

“Parents had reported their children feeling sleepier and napping during the day when they normally wouldn’t,” the filing disclosed.

An officer and a school administrator watched playgound video from March 27 that captured the teacher, who was hired about a year ago, removing something from one of her pockets and holding it in an open hand, read a search warrant affidavit filed by police seeking a judge’s permission to obtain a copy of the recording.

“A child took what was in [the teacher’s] hand and placed it in their mouth,” the filing continued.

Under police questioning on March 31, the teacher said she had given gummies to the class once, and it was after naptime, the affidavit read. She said the gummies were Welch’s Fruit Snacks and not melatonin.

A police spokeswoman said the investigation of the teacher is continuing, but declined to comment further.

The teacher, a 42-year-old Eden Prairie resident, has yet to be charged. The Star Tribune generally does not identify suspects before they are charged.

School staff told police that “providing consumable items without parental consent was against Jardin’s policy,” the affidavit noted.

Jardin spokesman Jon Austin said in a statement Wednesday afternoon that “we take these allegations very seriously and immediately launched an internal investigation into the matter as soon as we learned of it. During that investigation the employee in question has been placed on administrative leave. We have also reported the issue to the [state Department of Human Services] and are fully cooperating with law enforcement’s investigation.”

The Department of Human Services, in response to an inquiry from the Star Tribune, released a statement that read, “We have received a report [about] that center and are processing it through normal protocols. Due to data privacy restrictions, we are not able to provide more details.”

The statement did point out that day care centers in Minnesota “must obtain written permission from the child’s parent before administering the medicine,” properly document each time it is administered, and make that documentation available to parents.

Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone. People commonly use an over-the-counter melatonin supplement for sleep disorders, such as insomnia and jet lag.

Numerous major retailers, including Target, sell melatonin supplements for kids as young as 4 years old.

The Rochester-based Mayo Clinic says there are small studies that have suggested melatonin might help treat sleep disturbances in children with various disabilities.

“However,” a Mayo Clinic online posting advises, “good bedtime habits are usually recommended as an initial treatment. Talk to your child’s doctor before giving melatonin to a child.”

Melatonin taken orally in appropriate amounts is generally safe, according to Mayo. The most common side effects include headache, dizziness, nausea and drowsiness.

Jardin Spanish Immersion Academy is a privately operated day care provider that is licensed by the state. It accepts infants, toddlers and preschoolers. Along with Eden Prairie, it has facilities in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Richfield, Apple Valley and Roseville.