Family of 11 Hospitalized After Eating Wild Mushrooms

An Amish family of 11 was hospitalized Friday night after ingesting toxic mushrooms, officials say. The victims—all of whom were treated and released overnight—included a man, woman, and nine of their children, and ranged in age from just one year old to 39, CNN reports. One victim walked around half a mile to find a telephone booth and called for help, because the Pennsylvania family does not have a phone. That person reported everyone had gotten sick after eating mushrooms one member of the family "found in the woods … and brought home for dinner." Authorities confirmed the mushrooms were toxic, Local 12 reports.

"It was wild mushrooms, but the hospital would have to confirm the type," an emergency services official says. The hospital has not commented. The family lives in Peach Bottom Township, near the Maryland state line. Misidentification of mushroom species is listed as one of the top causes of mushroom poisonings, and foragers are urged to make absolutely certain they know what type of mushroom they've gathered before eating it. About 6,000 cases of toxic mushroom ingestion are reported each year in the US, and more than 50% of those are in kids under the age of 6. (More mushrooms stories.)