Students sickened after eating heartburn medicine mistaken for candy at Back of the Yards elementary school

Nine elementary students were taken to a hospital after eating a 'suspicious' substance they thought was candy at a South Side elementary school Wednesday morning.

At least six ambulances were called to Richard J. Daley Elementary Academy, 5024 S. Wolcott Ave. about 9:30 a.m., after some kids "found a substance," according to Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Merritt.

Nine students became ill after ingesting the 'non-toxic' substance, which turned out to be heartburn medicine according to police and fire officials.

The patients, all of whom were under the age of 10, were taken to Comer Children's Hopsital in good condition, said Merritt.

Just after 11 a.m., about a dozen relatives of students stood outside the north entrance of the school waiting to pick up their students.

Dr. Kamilah Hampton, principal of the school, told the Sun-Times the incident was “very minor and happened off of school grounds.”

An administrator told waiting parents that some of the sickened children had “very minor stomach aches," and classes remained in session Wednesday, though families wanting to pick up their kids due to the incident had that option.

“I’m a parent too,” Hampton told one family. “I’d want to take care of my babies.”