New Mexico Teen Charged for Poisoning Classmates’ Sports Drinks

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A Rio Rancho middle school student is facing felony charges after police say he poisoned his classmates by spiking a sports drink with copper sulfate taken from a science classroom.

The Albuquerque Journal reports that Deputy District Attorney Barbara Romo says the boy was charged last week for the May incident at Eagle Ridge Middle School.

Police say the 14-year-old gave three students the poisoned drink in a Gatorade bottle. Two were hospitalized.

The teenager has moved out of state. Romo says she thinks the boy spiked the drink as a joke, but now realizes that it's not a joke.

Romo says she thinks the case will not go to trial.

If it does, the boy could be sentenced to probation or juvenile detention.