21 children taken to hospital after becoming ill at Lauderhill day care

Teacher says children at Ave Marie Friends Preparatory School ate bad sandwiches

LAUDERHILL, Fla. – A total of 21 children were taken to area hospitals Monday after falling ill at a day care center, Lauderhill Fire Rescue Department Assistant Chief Jeff Levy said.

The students at Ave Marie Friends Preparatory School began exhibiting "varying degrees of vomiting, nausea and diarrhea" shortly after eating lunch, Levy said.

The students were taken to hospitals, including Plantation General Hospital, Broward Health and Broward Health Coral Springs. 

"It turns out that the school caters lunch from an outside source, and all of the children that were experiencing the symptoms had the same lunch from the same caterer," Levy said.

Levy said he didn't know where the food was catered.

A teacher at the school told Local 10 News that the students ate bad turkey sandwiches.

There were 29 students at the school at the time, eight of whom were released to their parents, Levy said.

The Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Hazardous Material Team was requested to respond to provide air quality sampling to ensure there weren't any hazardous conditions inside the building that may have resulted in the children feeling ill. 

"All air sampling inside the building returned normal," Levy said.

No adults experienced any of the symptoms, he said.


About the Authors:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.

Peter Burke returned for a second stint of duty at Local 10 News in February 2014.