Middle school students sickened by unknown pills

EL CAMPO, TX (KTRK) -- Yadira DeLeon says she knew not to take the pills being passed around El Campo Middle School this morning. But she couldn't convince her friends to do the same.

"I just seen them in a napkin. They were just like round and white," she said. "I was scared because they are my friends and we're all close and I told them not to take it but they didn't listen."

A total of five eighth graders fell ill after ingesting what school officials believe to be is a prescription pill. The students, two girls and three boys, began feeling weak and went to the nurse's office for help.

Amber Espinoza said, "They couldn't keep balance or anything like that."

"I was sad and I felt sorry for the ones who took it," Breanna Martinez said.

Paramedics say the students were experiencing mild cardiac distress from teh pills. All five were taken via Life Flight to Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital, but they've been since released.

"It's a serious incident and we are going to to emphasis the seriousness of the incident as we talk to the students tomorrow," principal Mark Freeman said.

Parents like Amanda Espinoza rushed to the school after hearing the news.

"I'm upset about it, I'm really upset about it," she said.

She and others waited hours in line to pull their kids out of school early. Yet school officials felt it was in everyone's best interest for class to remain in session.

"I think it's an opportunity for them to think twice about doing something in the future that's why we wanted them to stay in school give them a chance to talk with each other and a chance to talk to teachers."

Authorities say the student who brought the pills to school is in custody, as they work to identify the substance taken by the students. The superintendent says charges will be filed in this case

The superintendent then said the district has a zero tolerance policy and the student who brought the pills could face a minimum of a year at an alternative school.