Indiana toddler suffers catastrophic brain injury after exposure to 7-OH opioid

A two-year-old boy from Auburn, Indiana, was hospitalized with a catastrophic brain injury after police say he was exposed to a drug known as 7-OH, a potent opioid derived from kratom. The child was found unresponsive on Sept. 6 and was initially taken to a DeKalb County hospital before being transferred to Riley Hospital in Indianapolis, where he was placed in a medically induced coma.

Investigators charged 20-year-old Kole Schwarz, the mother’s live-in boyfriend at the time, with neglect of a dependent resulting in catastrophic injury. Court records indicate Schwarz purchased tablets marketed as “7-OH” through a contact in Fort Wayne and that the sealed tablets were found in his pocket. A specialized lab test later confirmed the presence of kratom-related substances in the child’s blood.

The mother is not considered a suspect and has cooperated with authorities. The child’s grandmother, Josie Casebere, described the incident as the hardest experience of her life and expressed uncertainty about the boy’s future mobility.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned that 7-OH products, which act like opioids, pose a public-health threat and called for policies to educate consumers and limit access. While illegal in Indiana, the substance is reportedly sold in neighboring Michigan as gummies, drinks and pills, prompting health officials there to note a rise in kratom-related hospitalizations and to warn of severe health risks, including seizures and liver toxicity.

"This public health threat is troubling and requires immediate and impactful policies to educate consumers and take regulatory action that limits access to 7-OH-containing products," the FDA report states.

"Kratom contains a chemical called 7-OH (7-hydroxymitragynine), which acts like an opioid and can cause severe withdrawal symptoms," Berrien County health officials warned, adding that the substance is marketed as an energy booster, mood lifter, pain reliever and aid for opioid withdrawal despite its potential for serious health issues.

Casebere said she is speaking out to raise awareness, noting that the product is sold without regulation and is being marketed to children.