Three-year-old girl rushed to hospital after drugs put in her Halloween sweet bucket

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

A toddler has been hospitalised after taking drugs given to her while trick-or-treating.

Three-year-old Abby Van Der Spuy was trick-or-treating with her mum in Bacchus Marsh - a suburb of Melbourne, Australia - when she was given prescription drugs in her bucket of sweets.

Suddenly, Abby became ill and her mother, Tara, told the Herald Sun that she became “wobbly on her feet” and “zonked”.

Tara added: “I thought she was choking on the lolly. Then she showed me a packet of tablets and I went, these don’t look like lollies.

“I felt anxiety, sick in the belly.”

According to the paper, the girl is believed to have swallowed Seroquel, which is a treatment for bipolar disorder.

She allegedly found the medicine in a zip-lock bag among her sweets.

However, Victoria Police told The Independent that it is believed there was “no malicious intent” behind the incident.

Speaking to 9 News, a witness commended the mother for the way she reacted to the incident.

She added: “She was like a super-mum. All she was focussed on was getting medical attention.”

A Victoria Police spokesman said: “Police are investigating after a three-year-old child became ill while trick or treating on Hallets Way in Bacchus Marsh just after 8pm last night.

“The child’s mother noticed that the little girl was not well and an ambulance was called. The child was taken to hospital for observation.

“Investigators have been told that the child may have ingested a prescription medication and are currently making enquiries as to how this happened.

“At this stage in the early investigation, it is not believed there is any malicious intent surrounding this incident.

“Police are treating this as an isolated incident and have not received any other reports of any similar incidents in the area.

“Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.”