Seven children under eight were rushed to hospital with four unresponsive after appearing to have overdosed on sleeping pills at a Virginia home, it is reported.
Police were called to the house in Hopewell, Virginia , at 4.30pm local time on Wednesday, where they found four children aged one, two, three and four - all were breathing but unresponsive.
There were a further three children who were conscious but suffering from lethargy.
All the seven children were taken to John Randolph Hospital with the two youngest taken to another hospital in a serious condition.
Detectives believe that a seven-year-old child had given sleeping pills to the other kids at the house.
A mother dropped her three children at the house with the other kids and then went to a local shop with the youngsters unsupervised, said police, reported VWBT.
She called emergency services on returning to find the children unwell but there has also been a report by WTVR that police found the house without an adult supervising.
A search warrant was issued and a prescription drug similar to that believed to have been taken by the children was removed from the house.
The police investigation is ongoing.
Mikea Turner, of NBC12, tweeted: "Hopewell Police say seven children, as young as one y/o, are being treated at a hospital after taking what’s believed to be a prescription drug medication. We have a crew on the ground. At least four kids were found breathing but unresponsive."
Many people have taken to social media to express their shock over the incident with the children apparently left unsupervised and hoping that the kids recover.
One person tweeted: "Praying for those kids in Hopewell. Such a sad situation."
Another wrote: "Please God let those babies be okay."
