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Police investigate woman after expired gummies hospitalize four children in Incheon

Published: 12 Jun. 2025, 18:43

A woman in her 40s has been booked by police for distributing expired gummies to elementary school students in Incheon on June 11. [YONHAP]

A woman in her 40s is under police investigation for distributing expired gummies to elementary school students in Incheon, four of whom became ill after consuming the sweets.

The woman was booked without detention on charges of bodily injury due to negligence, according to the Bupyeong Police Precinct on Thursday.

The woman allegedly handed out the expired gummy snacks to six fifth-grade students around 12:25 p.m. on Wednesday in front of an elementary school in Bupyeong District, Incheon. Four of the students, all friends, reportedly ate the gummies during lunch break while playing on the school playground.

After eating the gummies, the four students experienced symptoms such as nausea and were taken to a hospital for treatment. The snacks were later found to be about a year past their expiration date.

The woman reportedly told police that she had tried the gummies herself and thought it was safe to eat.

“I tasted it and it seemed fine, so I gave it to the children,” she was quoted as saying during questioning.

Police said no additional students were affected. Investigators have requested a chemical analysis of the gummies from the National Forensic Service and are continuing to question the woman to determine whether she knowingly distributed expired food.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY JANG GU-SEUL [[email protected]]