Case Update On Melatonin Given To A Child In Childcare In Northfield City

Press release from the City of Northfield:

December 22, 2020

On Wednesday, December 2, 2020, the Northfield Police Department received a report from Northfield Public Schools of an employee that may have been responsible for putting melatonin into a child’s bottle. The Northfield Public Schools shared the information they had gathered while investigating this employee with the police department and terminated the employee. The district also immediately released a public statement to parents and the community.

The school district and the police department contacted the families of those children that may have been affected. Thankfully none of the children appeared to have been harmed. The police department investigated this case further through interviews, requesting lab analysis, and seeking expert opinions from the medical field, as well as consulting the limited research on the effects of melatonin in young children. The facts were presented to the city and county attorney for review of possible criminal charges.

After review of the case, the attorneys concluded that the incident did not meet the necessary statutory elements to be charged as a crime; specifically that there was intent to harm, or that there was harm caused.

Based on this decision there will not be a criminal charge and this case will be closed.

This press release was produced by the City of Northfield. The views expressed here are the author’s own.