News

Couple charged for allegedly putting laxatives in cookies for striking school employees

An Ohio couple has been charged after police say they put laxatives in cookies to hand out to striking school employees.

Bo Cosens and Rachel Sharrock are accused of mixing laxative pills into the cookie batter because they were tired of the noise from the picket line, according to The Associated Press.

Bus drivers, school staff and other employees of Claymont School District in Ohio’s Tuscarawas County have been striking for nearly three weeks.

{mosads}Authorities said that Cosens and Sharrock had complained on social media about the picket line and honking drivers, and made a Facebook Live video showing them making the laxative-laced cookies. They had someone else deliver the cookies to the picket line, though none of the workers ate them.

“It’s a very serious offense, and it cannot be considered a prank,” said Uhrichsville Police Chief Vince Beal.

“We just thought it was a goodwill offering,” one striker told NBC News. “We were shocked … that he would be that angry.”

“One of our kids could have eaten those, that’s scary,” she added.

Cosens also allegedly made threats about shooting the striking workers, according to police.

The two face a felony charge of contaminating food for human consumption and a number of other misdemeanors, according to NBC News.

An attorney for Sharrock declined to comment to the AP on Friday.