Daycare Children Served Windshield Washer Fluid Mistaken for Flavored Drink

Ten children at an Arkansas daycare were served windshield washer fluid by a center staffer who found the toxic liquid in a refrigerator and mistook it for a flavored drink.

The children, ages 2 to 7, each drank about an ounce of windshield washer fluid on March 12, 2009 before some of them complained that it didn’t taste right. The children were taken to a hospital for treatment and one remained hospitalized after testing positive for measureable levels of methanol, a toxic alcohol that can cause blindness and comas when consumed.

Officials said the mix up happened when a staff member went grocery shopping for several items and mistakenly placed the windshield washer fluid in a refrigerator at the house where the daycare is held. The fluid was then mistaken for a flavored drink and served to the children at snack time.

The daycare is operated in a residence in the town of Scott, about 15 miles east of Little Rock. State officials said they plan to investigate the incident and the operator of the daycare, Carolyn Bynum. The operation was licensed to care for 10 children in Bynum’s home and had no previous reports of complaints or misconduct, state officials said.

Bynum may face a suspension or revocation of her state license to operate the daycare as a result of the incident, child welfare officials said.

Some brands of windshield washer fluid are brightly colored blue or green and may be easily mistaken for fruit juices, fruit punches, and other drinks commonly served to children. For this reason, windshield washer fluids and other toxic fluids should never be stored in kitchens or other areas where food is kept.

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