FOUR teenagers are being treated in hospital after they overdosed on a grand-da’s MS tablets.
The Derry Daily can reveal that the teens – all aged 14 and 15 – were rushed by paramedic crews to Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry on Wednesday night.
It is understood the Ambulance Service responded to a 999 call late in the evening and the victims were found in the Galliagh area.
A source told Derry Daily: “When the paramedics found them, they were off their faces. They were in a bad, bad way.’’
The secondary school boys are currently on ventilation machines in the hospital under supervision from a consultant and doctors.
A source added: “They apparently took medication belonging to one of their grand-dads which had been prescribed for his Multiple Sclerosis condition.
“When they were admitted they were in a very serious condition and were put on ventilators to help with their breathing.
“Three of them have since been stabilized over the last 12 hours by medics but one of them is not out of the woods just yet.’’
His parents are keeping a vigil at his hospital bedside in the accident and emergency department.
A spokeswoman for Altnagelvin Hospital told Derry Daily: “We can confirm that three young males are in a stable condition after being admitted last night.’
The spokeswoman added that the hospital was not able to comment on the fourth patient as parental consent had not been granted to release details on his condition.
However, she also refused to confirm that the boys had ingested MS medication.
The PSNI are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
A spokesman said: “Shortly before midnight on Wednesday, police received reports that four teenage boys had been admitted to Altnagelvin Hospital for treatment for the effects of taking substances that have, as yet, not been identified.
“Enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances and to identify the nature of the substances.”
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