Four-year-old Niagara girl fell into a coma after ingesting multiple cannabis edibles, court hears

A four-year-old Niagara girl fell into a coma and her older sister also suffered health complications after the siblings ingested multiple cannabis edibles, court heard Thursday.

The child's mother was arrested by Niagara Regional Police following an investigation into the Dec. 2021 incident and charged with criminal negligence causing bodily harm.

She pleaded guilty in an Ontario Court of Justice in St. Catharines and will return to court in March for sentencing.

The woman cannot be identified in order to protect the identity of her children.

In December 2021, court heard, a 13-year-old girl ate 22 gummies she mistook for candy during a visit to her mother's home in Niagara Falls.

When the teen's father came to pick her up several hours later, he noted she appeared out of it."

The defendant, who was aware their daughter had consumed the edibles, said the teen was feeling unwell as she had been out with friends the night before.

Later that same day, court heard, the mother moved the gummies from a shelf and left them on the kitchen table.

At some point, the younger child ingested three to four edibles which rendered her unconscious," said assistant Crown attorney Richard Monette.

The mother called 911 and the youngster was rushed to a local hospital then airlifted to McMaster Children's Hospital in Hamilton.

A coma scale used to describe the extent of impaired consciousness in acute medical and trauma patients assessed the child as being completely unresponsive.

Meanwhile, the following morning, the child's older sister had difficulty walking and talking.

Her father took her to a clinic where it was determined her blood pressure was dangerously low and she was sent to a nearby hospital for further treatment.

The siblings have since made a full recovery.

Canada saw a 6.3 fold increase in hospitalizations for accidental cannabis poisoning among children under the age of 10 since the legalization of recreational cannabis, according to a study published in August in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The study, conducted by researchers from SickKids and The Ottawa Hospital, said cannabis intoxication can have significant effects on young children, such as behavioural changes, seizures, impairment of coordination, balance and breathing, and even coma.

Alison Langley is a St. Catharines-based reporter for the Niagara Falls Review. Reach her via email: alison.langley@niagaradailies.com