Police investigate allegation that Ohio daycare workers gave children supplement to aid sleep

Police probe sleep aid allegation against daycare

CINCINNATI — Police are investigating whether workers at a suburban Cincinnati church daycare slipped a dietary supplement into candy to help children sleep at nap time.

Springfield Township police said Tuesday that they are looking into allegations that some workers at the Covenant Apostolic Church Daycare gave the dietary supplement melatonin to children there. Police sent a letter Monday to parents and guardians of the children informing them of the investigation.

The church pastor did not immediately return phone calls Tuesday.

A spokeswoman for the Hamilton County prosecutor’s office would only confirm the daycare was being investigated.

The Mayo Clinic says over-the-counter melatonin helps control sleep and wake cycles and is not FDA-approved or regulated.