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Students allegedly bring pot-laced brownies to middle school in DeLand

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — At least two Volusia County middle school students are facing felony charges after authorities said they brought marijuana-laced brownies to school.

According to the Volusia County Sheriff's Office, two boys admitted that they brought the pan of pot brownies to Southwestern Middle School in DeLand and some students ate them.

Investigators said that by the time they learned of the brownies, there were none left for them to examine.

Deputies said one of the boys hid a small bag of marijuana on campus. That bag was retrieved by deputies.

Authorities said about 14 students either ate the brownies or were aware of the brownies.

Channel 9 spoke exclusively with a seventh-grader who was hospitalized after he ate one of the brownies.

"I just thought I'd go in the classroom and lay down and I went and I put my head down and then, I don't know what happened," said Rikki Brockett.

He told Channel 9 reporter Blaine Tolison he blacked out in class, then woke up in the hospital.

His mother described the moment she found out her son was in the hospital.

"That really scared me because the only thing I was really wondering, how is he, is he going to be OK? Is he going to be OK by the time I get to the hospital? It was all the things running through my mind," said Vineka Gainey.

According to arrest reports, 14-year-old Chase Rocco and 12-year-old Keegan Van Hoven cooked the brownies at home then brought them to school.

Van Hoven's mother said an adult gave the children the marijuana.

The school district claims the only way to stop such incidents is to search every student, which officials say likely won't happen.

"So what we're relying on is that students will come to us if they see something or they know that something is wrong," said Nancy Wait of the Volusia County School District.

Brockett's mother said she believes Friday's incident is connected to another case where students got sick after eating in the cafeteria weeks ago.

The school district said it was looking into it.

Rocco and Van Hoven were suspended, pending expulsion.