Parents have demanded answers after 19 cadets at a military-run youth academy fell ill after eating lunch.
The cadets were at the Capital Guardian Youth Challenge Academy in Laurel, Maryland, on Sunday when the Anne Arundel County Fire Department was called, according to local reports.
Three calls were made from the D.C. National Guard-run facility within 90 minutes. The cadets had all experienced similar, minor symptoms.
“We were first getting our lunch and the first person had his head down on the table before we started eating, and he looked like he was passed out,” one 16-year-old cadet who did not wish to be identified told WUSA9.
The cadet said he started to feel “lightheaded and dizzy” and that when his peers gathered in the gym after lunch, many began vomiting. Several cadets also lost consciousness before ambulances arrived, according to the teen.
open image in galleryThe D.C. National Guard told The Independent that the 19 cadets were taken to local hospitals for evaluation “as a precaution.”
The National Guard added that 15 cadets were evaluated by emergency medical personnel Monday, including nine who had been assessed Sunday. Following those assessments, nine cadets declined additional treatment and six cadets were taken to local medical facilities for further evaluation.
The 16-year-old who spoke to WUSA9 said he repeatedly asked staff to allow him to contact his mother as his condition worsened.
“I had to keep begging them to let me call my mom,” he said.
His mother, who also remained anonymous, told the outlet that she did not hear from her son until nearly six hours after he got sick, and that she was the one to drive him to the hospital.
“I’m upset because I’m concerned as to why the parents weren’t notified right away,” she said.
open image in galleryAnother parent told the outlet that her son, who had also fallen ill, was taken to the hospital without her knowledge.
“Parents need answers. We’re concerned. What was it? What is it? What do we need to do moving forward? We need to know,” she said.
The D.C. National Guard said that parents and guardians of the 19 cadets were notified, but didn’t specify how long it took them to reach out.
It’s still unclear what made the cadets fall ill. The National Guard detailed several measures it is taking to find the cause.
“As part of the ongoing investigation, a food quarantine has been initiated to preserve potential evidence for investigators,” the National Guard said. “In addition, an independent private company is conducting water, air, and environmental testing on campus to support the investigation.”
open image in galleryAt the hospital, the 16-year-old cadet was told by doctors that he was exposed to carbon monoxide, but that his levels “weren’t dangerously high,” the teen’s mother said.
But the National Guard confirmed that “no carbon monoxide or other environmental hazards were detected” during fire officials’ assessment, adding that “it would be premature to speculate” the cause of the illnesses.
Parents told WUSA9 that the Maryland Department of Health and D.C. Department of Health sent an email Monday asking anyone who was at the academy Sunday to complete a survey to help investigators.
The Independent has reached out to the Maryland Department of Health and D.C. Department of Health for comment.
“Our primary concern remains the health, safety, and well-being of our cadets and staff,” the National Guard said.
The Capital Guardian Youth Challenge Academy is described as a “life intervention, dropout reintegration, and General Education Development (GED) preparatory program” on its website.