Man, 76, Accused of Giving Children Sedative-Laced Candy at a Local Summer Camp: 'Extremely Upsetting and Shocking' By Raven Brunner

A man is accused of giving children sedative-laced candy at a summer camp. 

John Ruben, 76, has been charged with three counts of “willful ill treatment of a child” in connection with the incident, according to a statement from the Leicestershire Police in England.

Police received a report on Sunday, July 27, that children at a summer camp at Stathern Lodge in Stathern were feeling unwell. Emergency services responded to the scene, and eight boys, between the ages of 8 and 11, and one adult were taken to the hospital.

All nine people have since been discharged from the hospital, according to police.

Ruben’s charges relate to three different children at the camp. 

Per CBS News, the suspect lives about 15 miles from Stathern Lodge, a farmhouse with a sports hall and catering facilities. The outlet also reported that he was arrested on Monday, July 28, at a nearby pub. 

Ruben appeared in court on Saturday, Aug. 2, and was ordered to remain in custody until his next hearing on Aug. 29, according to The Guardian. 

The man was charged with three counts of willfully assaulting, ill-treating, neglecting, abandoning or exposing children in a manner likely to cause them unnecessary suffering or injury to health, per The Guardian.

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CBS News reported that Ruben was arrested for allegedly giving the children sedative-laced candy. Ruben did not enter a plea during his Aug. 2 court appearance, the outlet said.

Prosecutor Janine McKinney said in a statement obtained by the BBC that the incident “has been an extremely upsetting and shocking moment for the community, and especially for the children and parents most directly affected.”

CBS News reported that the lodge is owned by Christian charity Braithwaite Gospel Trust. 

Police said in their statement that “the owners and operators of Stathern Lodge are independent from those people who use or hire the lodge and are not connected to the incident.”

“This is an active criminal investigation, and we ask that people do not speculate further about the incident,” police added.