The owner of a café in Western Australia has reportedly been charged with selling "unsuitable food" after two young children and their mother ate a brownie allegedly laced with marijuana.
According to an ABC report, the family rushed to hospital after eating the brownie with their breakfast at the Bada Bing café on March 2.
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Five-year-old Emily reportedly began acting strangely shortly after breakfast, telling her parents she was seeing things that weren't' there.
"It was very frightening, I was trying to calm Emily; she would calm down, and then she would just open her eyes and give out this blood-curdling scream," Emily's mother told ABC Radio Perth.
"Her heart was racing so much, that I actually couldn't count it … I was terrified, and so was Emily.
"It progressed really quickly, it went from 'I'm seeing bizarre colours', to losing her short-term memory, really intense fear, disorientation, it was really quite extreme."
A toxicology screening at the hospital showed she tested positive for marijuana.
Her three-year-old brother also reportedly showed effects of the drug, becoming drowsy, nauseous and pale, according to medical notes.
Bada Bing's website says the cafe is a locally owned "kid-friendly cafe/restaurant with toys and colouring-in to keep the little ones happy".
The Guardian reports that in a statement from its lawyers, the owners of the cafe said the allegations were a "total shock" and they're conducting their own investigation.
"It came as a total shock to us that a Perth family is alleging that they became ill after eating at our cafe," they said.
The owners said they had cooperated with a Western Australian police investigation.
However according to the Guardian, the offence could carry a fine of up to AU$40,000.
Perth Now reported the City of Stirling said testing of one brownie at the cafe revealed the presence of THC and other cannabinoids. It also confirmed two charges had been brought against the cafe's owner.
"As this matter is not yet before the courts, the City is unable to go into detail. However, we can assure our residents and the community that we have done a thorough investigation.
"This appears to be an isolated incident and the City believes it has addressed the risk," City of Stirling told Perth Now.
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