Boy accused of inhaler attack released from juvenile center

ktrk ^

[chance33_98]

Boy accused of inhaler attack released from juvenile center

ABC13 Eyewitness News (1/18/04 - MAGNOLIA) — There was an unusual Sunday court hearing in a very unusual case - a teenager arrested, accused of misusing his asthma inhaler.

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The student at Montgomery County's Magnolia High School was arrested last week after a teacher was taken to the hospital, overcome by the medication from the teen's inhaler.

Sixteen-year-old Michael Todd finally left the Montgomery County Juvenile Service Center on Sunday. He'd been locked up inside for four days. A hearing Sunday led to his release.

"I've been in that juvenile place the last couple days," he said. "The food's nasty. It's really cold. You don't get much sleep the first couple of days."

A doctor-prescribed inhaler he uses for his asthma got him there. The Magnolia High School student exhaled a puff of the medicine close to a teacher. The teacher had a reaction and had to see a doctor.

"I wasn't trying to harm the teacher or anything. It just happened kind of like accidental," said Todd. "I wasn't really trying to hurt anybody or nothing."

His family says Montgomery County authorities charged him with deadly conduct.

"Well, I just think it shouldn't have happened in the first place," said Todd’s mother, Judy McCrary. "There's something that we need to change in the system for this child here to be locked up for four days."

Todd was released into his parents' custody Sunday, but his future is far from clear.

"Well, we don't know what the charges are going to be yet, possibly felony," said McCrary. "I don't know."

Whatever the outcome of his legal case, he will not be going back to Magnolia High School anytime soon. His parents say he is being required to attend an alternative school.

We attempted to contact Magnolia High School. Our attempts were unsuccesful. We'll keep you posted in the coming weeks as this story continues to unfold.

[Some hope remaining.]

Yeah, I tried it once but I didn't exhale.

[ladylib]

Pull him out and homeschool him. He doesn't have to go to an "alternative" school.

[hellinahandcart]

I know even less now than I did when I read the first article.

[OpusatFR]

This sounds fishy.

Exhaling forcefully after pulling on an inhaler is pretty much the drill because you try to inhale as deeply as you can while depressing it and releasing the medication. Besides, I've never heard of anyone having an allergic reaction to a bronchodilator or inhaler that is used to open bronchial structures due to irritation and allergy..

[r9etb]

A doctor-prescribed inhaler he uses for his asthma got him there. The Magnolia High School student exhaled a puff of the medicine close to a teacher. The teacher had a reaction and had to see a doctor.

A lot of things are missing here.

Suppose the teacher really did have a reaction that required a doctor visit -- that sounds really odd to me for an asthma inhaler.

Why would the teacher be close enough to be exhaled-upon by the kid? You've got to be CLOSE to get enough on the exhale to cause a reaction (which I still can't imagine happening).

Sounds to me like there's some serious bad blood between kid and teacher. I don't think "inhaler assault" is what put the boy in the pokey, and I don't think the teacher had a bad reaction from the exhaled inhaler.

It'd be interesting to know what's really going on here.

[ambrose]

The teacher could be angling for disability payments.

[Agnes Heep]

I''m trying to think what kind of asthma inhaler could cause a "reaction" to a second party, breathing a second-hand exhalation of the product. The most common kind of "rescue" inhaler delivers a very small dose of aerosolized albuterol, which itself is a very inocuous drug that has to be concentrated to be effective. Even a a direct inhalation produces very little more than a relaxation of the muscles of the bronchial passages.

[Eaker]

Olliemb, can you shine a little light here??

Thanks,
Tom Eaker

[mfulstone]

overcome by the medication from the teen's inhaler.

That teacher is seriously in need of psychiatric evaluation!

[sourcery]

Can you say 'major lawsuit for false arrest'? I knew you could.

[Teacher317]

How could the teacher think this was an "attack"? Did the student know he would have a bad reaction to the exhaled medication?

[ladylib]

Magnolia High School seems a good place to stay away from. I don't know what it is about inhalers and TX public schools.

If this kid isn't charged, I hope he sues. If he's charged and found not guily, I hope he sues.

A couple of people even think the teacher is looking for some easy money.

Public schools are run by idiots.

[Freedom2specul8]

"Why would the teacher be close enough to be exhaled-upon by the kid?"

Hi again! It is weird to run into you 2x's in one day. lol

That is exactly what I was thinking..maybe the teacher had the inhaler in her/his desk and the pupil just stood next to the teacher's desk....it was pretty stupid to call it criminal unless someone witnessed him literally blowing it in her face to provoke a reaction, for a joke....something is missing...like the student's side (confidentiality) and his classmates opinions..

[r9etb]

How could the teacher think this was an "attack"? Did the student know he would have a bad reaction to the exhaled medication?

The only thing I can think of is that there is a whole lot of history behind this particular incident, and probably between the kid and teacher.

[r9etb]

....something is missing...like the student's side (confidentiality) and his classmates opinions..

I can't imagine this being an isolated incident, though, unless the teacher is a total whackjob. Gotta be some history here.

[Flyer]

I heard this story on the radio this morning and wasn't sure if I had heard it correctly. This is nuts. Locked up? For 4 days?? Jeez. . . I guess he can never own a gun now.

[Humidston]

I use inhalers and I have to say that kid would have to be sitting on top of the teacher, shooting vapors over and over into his/her face to have caused any reaction whatsoever.

This whole thing stinks to high heaven! (Pardon the pun.)

[anymouse]

What are you folks doing up there is Magnolia anyway? Obviously commonsense has left the school district. This kid and his family are going to end up millions richer as the tax payers get soaked for the a sizable lawsuit. The teacher and the administrators that handled this should be fired.