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One Indiana mom noticed that her kids were coming home from day care more cranky and tired than normal. KVUE reported that she even called the doctor about it.
Abigail Hampton explained, "After school, my 1-year-old would come home and fall on our rug tired, ready to go to bed at 6:00. Jacket on and everything. She would come in and just lay on the floor, ready to go to bed."
After that, she got a call from her daughter's day care. The pastor of the church that operated the child care center told her that the day care director, Tonya Voris, had been giving the kids melatonin supplements that the parents never approved.
Hampton said, "When I first found out, I was in shock. It was definitely frustrating, heart-shattering honestly, that somebody that knew better would do that to my kids. We also filled out forms when we started at the day care listing anything that our kids could have and I never listed melatonin."
According to prosecutors, it wasn't just her kids getting the supplements. Court documents explain that the gummies were given to 17 children without parental permission. The children ranged in ages from one to four.
Hancock County Prosecutor Brent Eaton said, "According to the probable cause, some of these children did have some side effects from what happened. It alleges changed the behavior of some of the children. Some children complained of headaches or itching in a time period these things were happening."
Voris is facing up to 11 felony counts of neglect and six misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment.