Ohio day care worker accused of drugging snacks

6/17/2013

COLUMBUS — A central Ohio day care worker has been accused of sprinkling drugs on snacks to get children to go to sleep.

Tammy Eppley was charged Monday in Columbus with six counts of child endangering after police in nearby Westerville said they obtained text messages in which she admitted giving children the allergy medicine Benadryl and the hormone and sleep aid melatonin.

Police say Eppley jokes in one text that a child almost discovered her action after saying sprinkles on some cupcakes tasted funny.

The 37-year-old Eppley denies the accusations. She says the text messages were tongue-in-cheek jokes she regrets and they don’t refer to anything that really happened.

Police reports don’t indicate any children were hurt.

A county children’s services agency investigation couldn’t substantiate allegations of physical abuse against Eppley.