LAUREL, Del- Delaware State Police said a Laurel man was arrested after a child accidentally overdosed on heroin.
Thirty-one-year-old Gilbert M. Dickerson is facing possession and reckless endangerment charges. It stems from an investigation that started on Oct. 28.
Police said troopers responded to a home on the 2700 block of Pot of Gold Circle, Rainbow, Trailer Park in Millsboro for an 11-year-old in cardiac arrest. Police said they found several small bags of heroin in the victim's pocket. The victim was taken to AI DuPont Children’s Hospital.
Troopers said 30 bags of heroin were collected from the scene. Police said the ensuing investigation revealed the victim got the heroin from a friend at Laurel Elementary School. The friend was driven to school by their stepmother and in a car owned by their father, Gilbert Dickerson.
According to police, the friend found an Altoids container, which had the heroin, during the ride to school. However, police said the friend didn't know it was heroin.
Investigators said that once in school, the friend opened the container, unknowing it contained heroin and gave it to the victim. Laurel Elementary personnel were not aware that this happened on their school’s property. Once the school was contacted by police, police said the school’s administration cooperated fully and helped ensure that this event was an isolated incident.
Police then searched Dickerson's home, where they said they found about 65 bags of heroin. Also home at the time of the search were three children under the age of 13.
Dickerson was arraigned and released on a $10,500 unsecured bond.
