Child Welfare Chatsworth acknowledged the mother’s complaint and said it would review the concerns raised and its event procedures and vendor-related protocols.
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A MOTHER has lodged a formal complaint against Child Welfare Chatsworth after her 12-year-old son allegedly fell ill after a stranger had convinced her son to try a “new sweet, which was believed to be cannabis-infused gummy at the society’s recent charity fair.
The fair was organised by Child Welfare Chatsworth, and is one of its biggest annual fundraising events.
Child Welfare Chatsworth acknowledged the mother’s complaint and said it would review the concerns raised and its event procedures and vendor-related protocols.
The mother, who did not want to be named, claimed when her son returned home from the fair, which was held at the Chatsworth Stadium last weekend, he was sick.
She said her son and his 17-year-old sister had gone to the fair with their adult cousins.
“I have always known the fair to be a safe place for children, as it is hosted by Child Welfare. We allowed them to spend an hour more at the fair because the queues for the rides were long. We fetched them at 9pm.
At the time, my son said he felt ill, and we thought that it was the rides that had upset him,” said the mother.
“His heart-rate appeared raised and he could not walk. We questioned him if he had eaten or drank anything from anyone,” she added.
She said he told them that a man in his 30s had been standing in the food area, and had offered him a sweet.
“He said he declined the sweet, but the man was persuasive and eventually convinced him to try it, saying that it new on the market. It was a gummy bear shaped sweet, which my son loves.
“We then rushed him to RK Khan Hospital, where the staff only asked us to wait and never took us seriously. My son’s heart was pounding and he was limp and unable to walk. His body was shaking. While waiting, my husband searched the internet to find out how to treat a child who had eaten a cannabis product.
“We then decided to take him home, calm him down, and give him lots of water as per the advice from medical websites on the internet. I am thankful that he recovered by the next morning,” she added.
The woman said she was disappointed to find out that there was a cannabis infused edible stall at the ‘family’ fair.
“I have sent a formal complaint to Child Welfare Chatsworth to express my concern about this stall. We do not know if drug dealers were handing out free samples of these ‘sweets’ to our children to get them hooked.
“Having a child growing up in Chatsworth is scary, as drugs are freely available in every area. Cannabis is free for all to buy. Shops are everywhere. There is no restriction on how many shops operate, or where they are situated. It is sad and disappointing that an organisation like Child Welfare can allow a cannabis stall at the fair, while fighting children's issues and the drugs scourge,” the mother added.
Child Welfare Chatsworth said the complaint prompted them to review their event procedures and vendor-related protocols for the charity fair.
President of Child Welfare Chatsworth, Allan Pillay, confirmed on Friday that they had received a complaint from the boy’s mother.
Pillay, who was also the director for the charity fair, said the organisation was concerned after the allegations were raised by the boy’s mother.
“We sincerely hope that the child involved has recovered fully. At this stage, the organisation has not received any verified evidence confirming the nature of the substance allegedly consumed, the source of the item, or the identity of the individual alleged to have provided it to the child.
“Based on the complaint received, the allegation relates to an unidentified individual who allegedly approached the minor at the fairgrounds. Additionally, the minor’s mother informed us that a local hospital had declined to treat the minor on arrival.
“The Child Welfare Chatsworth Charity Fair is a large public fundraising event attended by thousands of patrons over multiple days and includes a range of independent vendors and exhibitors. Vendors participating at the event are required to comply with applicable laws, regulations and operational requirements,” he added.
Pillay said the cannabis stall participated in the event as an independent flea market vendor that had booked and paid for exhibition space at the fair.
“The independent vendor represented that products intended strictly for adults were not to be sold to persons under the age of 18, and age-restriction signage was displayed at the stall.
“Independent vendors participating in the fair were expected to comply with all applicable legal and operational requirements, including age-related restrictions where applicable. Security and general event oversight measures were also in place throughout the venue.
“At this stage, the organisation has not received any verified information indicating that products were knowingly sold directly to minors by the vendor,” Pillay added.
He said as part of a large public fundraising event, the fair hosted a variety of independent exhibitors and vendors offering different products and services.
“Vendors participating in the event were required to confirm compliance with applicable laws and operational requirements, including age-related restrictions where applicable.
“At no stage did the organisation permit or condone the sale of restricted products to minors. The safety and protection of children remain central to the organisation’s work and mandate.
“No formal complaints regarding the stall were reported to the organisation during the operation of the fair.
“With regard to the complaint from the mother, we are reviewing the concerns raised. As part of this process, the organisation is also reviewing event procedures and vendor-related protocols.
“We respect the concerns raised and understand the sensitivities surrounding allegations involving minors. However, it would be inappropriate to speculate or draw conclusions in the absence of verified evidence regarding the source of the alleged substance or the circumstances surrounding the incident.
“The organisation remains committed to ensuring that its fundraising events are conducted responsibly and with appropriate regard for public safety and community wellbeing,” Pillay said.