A Minnesota family’s back-to-school routine turned into a nightmare for dozens of families in Moorhead — and it all started with what looked like innocent candy.
Twelve students at Horizon Middle School fell sick on Monday after eating sour strip belts that, unknown to them, contained 300 mg of THC each. The “candy” wasn’t bought at a store. It was handed out by a fellow student — whose own parents had allegedly been running a drug operation out of their basement.
Martin Hulst, 40, and Amanda Hulst, 43, now face nine felony charges each, including possession of a controlled substance, sale of a controlled substance, and reckless child endangerment. Prosecutors say the couple used their own child to distribute THC gummies to classmates and collect the money.
When students started flooding the school nurse’s office Monday afternoon with nausea and dizziness, staff knew something was wrong. Two children were rushed to the hospital. One fell and suffered a head injury.
Police obtained a search warrant for the family’s home — and what they found inside was shocking. Investigators discovered large quantities of THC products, psychedelic mushrooms, packaging materials, and $73,380 cash locked in a safe. The basement had been set up like a retail storefront, complete with “Thank You” printed bags.
The Hulsts weren’t even home at the time. They were vacationing in California. They were arrested at the airport on their way back.
Their other children have since been placed in the care of Clay County Social Services.
Moorhead’s police chief called it a deeply disturbing case — not just because of the drugs, but because parents allegedly put their own child at the center of it.
Court dates for the couple have not yet been announced.
