MOBILE, Ala. — A 4-year-old girl in Alabama was rushed to the hospital this week after her parents found her limp and unresponsive at school. A toxicology report later revealed her blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was 0.29%—nearly four times the legal limit for adults.
Albert and Mary Singleton, the girl’s parents, told local outlet FOX10 News (WALA-TV) they were notified by their daughter’s school on the afternoon of Monday, April 28, that something was wrong. When they arrived, they say their daughter appeared dazed, was “slobbering,” and could not stand on her own.
“I picked her up and her body was just limp,” Mary Singleton told WALA. “I didn’t know what was happening. She wasn’t speaking, just drooling.”
The couple rushed their daughter to Children’s and Women’s Hospital in Mobile, where doctors conducted a toxicology screening. According to the Singletons, the results showed a BAC of 0.29%—a level that can cause serious neurological and respiratory complications in adults, let alone in small children.
The child was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), where she remained for two days before being released on Wednesday, April 30. Hospital officials have not commented publicly, citing patient privacy laws.
The source of the ethanol exposure remains unclear. Prichard City Police confirmed that an investigation is underway, but have not released further details. The school, which has not been named publicly due to the ongoing investigation, also has not issued a statement.
Mobile County Public Schools did not respond to requests for comment.
According to the National Institutes of Health’s National Library of Medicine, ethanol poisoning can occur from ingesting alcoholic beverages or household products containing ethanol, such as hand sanitizers, mouthwash, and certain medicines. Symptoms vary depending on blood alcohol concentration but can include vomiting, confusion, difficulty breathing, and in severe cases, coma or death.
At a BAC of 0.29%, symptoms often include slurred speech, lack of coordination, and possible unconsciousness, according to NIH data. A BAC above 0.4% is considered potentially fatal.
The Singletons say they are demanding answers and accountability.
“I just want to know how this happened,” Albert Singleton said. “A 4-year-old shouldn’t come home from school drunk. Somebody needs to be held responsible.”
No arrests have been made as of Friday morning.
