2-year-old suffers catastrophic brain injury after exposure to 7-OH

Key Points:

• A 2-year-old boy in Indiana suffered catastrophic brain injury after exposure to 7-OH, a potent opioid derived from kratom, leading to charges of neglect against 20-year-old Kole Schwarz, the mother’s live-in boyfriend.
• The child was hospitalized in a medically induced coma and later transferred to Riley Hospital in Indianapolis, with tests confirming kratom-related drugs in his system.
• Schwarz admitted to purchasing 7-OH tablets illegally, though he claimed they remained sealed in his pocket; the child showed physical signs of exposure and severe brain injury confirmed by MRI.
• The FDA warns of the growing public health threat posed by concentrated 7-OH products, which are illegal in Indiana but still sold in forms like gummies and pills in neighboring Michigan, where no statewide age restrictions exist.
• Family members and health officials are raising awareness about the dangers of kratom and 7-OH, emphasizing the risks to children and the need for stricter regulation and consumer education.