Eight children were taken to hospital after being ill at a summer camp in Leicestershire, with a 76-year-old man arrested on suspicion of poisoning.
Police officers attended the channel camp in the village of Staternen around 4:00 pm on Sunday, July 27, after receiving reports that a group of children were feeling unwell.
After being transported to a triage center in the nearby village of Hall in Plungar, each of the children is evaluated by the ambulance service and eight were taken to the Queen medical center as a precaution.
The participating children were visited by a summer camp at a Youth Center called the Stratern Lodge, which is owned by the Christian Charity Gospel Trust Braithwaite.
Lestershire police have been summoned to the Staterne camp after receiving reports that the children are unwell (PA)
The Trust representative said that while maintaining the maintenance of the building, the center is independent and is hired by various organizations for educational holidays and events. He has no direct part in the camp.
Since then, each of the children has been discharged and their parents have been informed.
The 76-year-old man was arrested in the camp on suspicion of applying poison with the intention of injury and remained in police arrest.
On Thursday afternoon, a police border remained in place on the channel lane right in front of the small village.
Two police cars and three officers were in the border, while other police vehicles leave the place.
The scene outside the Stathern Lodge, which hosted a children’s summer camp (Jacob King/Pa Wire)
More officers could see in the distance beyond the border, which was blocked from the section of the road.
Detective inspector Neil Holdon, a senior investigator, said: “We understand the concern that this incident will have caused parents, guardians and the environment.
“We are in contact with the parents and guardians of all interested children.
Describing it as a “complex and sensitive investigation”, he added: “Please make sure we have several special resources, deployed and work with affiliate agencies, including children’s services, to ensure that children are provided.
Eight children were taken to hospital as a precaution. Police stay in place to make inquiries (PA Video/Pa Wire)
“We also remain in place to make inquiries on the circumstances of the incident and continue to provide advice and support in the area.
The spokesman for the East Midlands ambulance service said they had visited the Plungar address at 16:00 after being signaled a “medical emergency”.
They sent a number of resources, including four paramedics in cars with an ambulance, ten ambulances and an ambulance.
Meanwhile, Lestershire police have also said it has headed for the Independent Police Conduct Office (IOPC) because of what is said to be “the circumstances of the initial response of the police.”
A spokesman for IOPC said: “We received a referral for behavior on Tuesday (July 29) from the Lester police police related to their processing of concerns transmitted to them for the well -being of a group of children.
“Our evaluation team has considered all the evidence available and concluded that the issue should be studied regardless of IOPC.
“The investigation will look at if there were violations of professional behavior – namely a failure to fulfill obligations and responsibilities – which led to a delay in the reaction of the police in Leicestershire to what was later declared a critical incident.”