Girl, 7, overdoses on GHB, survives

A now 7-year-old girl from Helmond just barely survived a GHB overdose last year. A friend's father thought he was giving the girl lemonade to drink, but the glass contained the drug. The Public Prosecution Service demanded 180 hours of community service against the man in court on Tuesday, RTL Nieuws reports.

On a summer's day in 2018, Marcel D.'s daughter and her friend were playing at his home. He got them something to drink. For the girl's he poured a glass of lemonade, and for himself he poured what he thought was a fat burner he got at the gym. When handing out the drinks, his daughter's friend mistakenly got his glass. The glass turned out to contain GHB.

The girl became sick immediately. She was rushed to hospital, where doctors just barely managed to save her life. Physically, she is now fine. But according to the Public Prosecutor, that was more luck than anything else. "It was a traumatic experience for her. Psychologically it left some traces behind", the Prosecutor said, according to the broadcaster.

The Prosecutor does not accuse Marcel D. of intentionally mixing up the glasses, but this is still a terrible incident that could have been prevented. D. is charged with inflicting serious physical injury through negligence. The Prosecutor demanded 180 hours of community service against him, as well as a suspended prison sentence of three months and a probation period of two years.