Child hospitalized after student’s mom made drink to ‘stop the bullies,’ deputies say

SAN ANTONIO — A Texas woman is accused of mixing a drink for her son to bring to school that would deter student thieves, sending one child to a hospital after it was consumed, authorities said.

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Jennifer Lynn Rossi, 45, of San Antonio, was arrested and charged with injury to a child resulting in bodily injury-reckless by omission, according to Bexar County online court records.

Deputies were called to the Legacy Traditional School in the Alamo Ranch area of San Antonio on Tuesday after a student became ill, KSAT-TV reported. According to an arrest affidavit, the child felt nauseous and was hospitalized after consuming the drink, which was provided by a 10-year-old classmate.

The drink, contained in a sports bottle, was discovered to have a mixture of lemon juice, salt, vinegar and Gatorade, WOAI-TV reported. The victim began experiencing symptoms after drinking the mixture, according to the television station.

The child told Bexar County deputies that his mother had made the drink.

Detectives learned that Rossi, who is a nurse, intentionally mixed those ingredients into her son’s bottle to prevent it from being stolen at school, the San Antonio Express-News reported.

According to the arrest affidavit, Rossi allegedly admitted to investigators that she made the concoction, which was nontoxic, “to stop the bullies at her son’s school,” KSAT reported.

“The child suspect stated the drink mixture was made due to the child victim stealing his drink the day prior and being bullied by the child victim,” the affidavit read. “Rossi admitted to making the mixture due to her son ... stating the child victim stole his drink and was bullying him,” the affidavit reads.

Hospital officials said that the victim needed “additional medical monitoring” and would be discharged from the hospital soon, WOAI reported.

Rossi was arrested and posted $1,000 bail on Wednesday, online records show. She is expected to appear in court on April 16.

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