Overview
- Seven children from the same family were hospitalized on February 14 in Huauchinango after eating tamales, with symptoms including vomiting, dehydration, disorientation and, in one case, convulsions.
- The state prosecutor said the 10-year-old’s qualitative positive for fentanyl, along with barbiturates and methadone, stems from medications administered during a hospital stay of more than 10 hours.
- Urine toxicology for other minors and adults who ate the tamales tested negative for drugs of abuse, including opiates, according to authorities.
- Seized food samples are undergoing liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry analyses, and the criminal case for negligent injury remains open with interviews and forensic reviews ongoing.
- President Claudia Sheinbaum directed federal agencies to coordinate follow-up, and U.S. Ambassador Ronald Johnson cited the case in urging stronger action against fentanyl trafficking.