SAN ANTONIO – A high school student was rushed to the hospital last week after ingesting what he believed to be a THC gummy, prompting his mother to warn other parents about the risks of drug-laced edibles.
Aidan Balderas, 16, was taken from Southside High School to a pediatric intensive care unit last Tuesday, according to his mother, Cassie Balderas.
“No parent wants to see their kid unconscious, period,” she said. “But not knowing what’s going on and having him completely unresponsive with no answers to why — it’s nerve-wracking. It’s heartbreaking. You’re helpless.”
Cassie Balderas said her son and another student went to their cars during lunch. It was there, she said, that Aidan Balderas was offered the THC gummy.
Soon after, she said he started throwing up and took a turn for the worse.
Hospital records list Aidan Balderas’ diagnosis as cannabis abuse and other psychoactive substance abuse, a broad classification that can include substances ranging from nicotine and alcohol to cannabis, cocaine and LSD.
Cassie Balderas said doctors told her that the gummy may have been laced with an unknown substance, based on Aiden Balderas’ reaction and how long it took for him to regain consciousness.
“I won’t know for a while,” she said. “I did turn over the rest of the gummy to the district police to have it tested.”
Southside Independent School District confirmed that a field test on the gummy detected only THC, but the item has been sent to a lab for further analysis.
Aiden Balderas spent 25 hours in the hospital. Cassie Balderas said that while he is doing better now, the experience left a lasting impact.
“By then, he was awake, he was aware, he was able to respond and speak,” she said. “Still seemed a little off in some aspects, very forgetful.”
One week later, Cassie Balderas told KSAT she feels lucky her son is recovering — and she hopes no other family has to go through something similar.
“Don’t take for granted that you’ve had the talk,” she said. “Don’t take for granted that your child knows better.”
Southside ISD released the following statement regarding the investigation:
“Based on Southside ISD’s ongoing investigation, we believe portions of the information provided to KSAT 12, by other sources, appear to be untrue. Unfortunately, due to student confidentiality (FERPA), we cannot go into specifics about the case at this time. The safety and security of all SISD students is our number one priority. We encourage all to report any concerning activity.”
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