A Discovery Intermediate sixth-grader, who allegedly poisoned his language arts teacher, was being held without bond at the Osceola County Juvenile Center.

Osceola County Sheriff's deputies on Thursday arrested and charged 13-year-old Josue Ernesto Ortiz, of Poinciana, with poison of food with the intent to injure, a first-degree felony, after he confessed to the crime.  He was then booked into the juvenile detention facility.

According to Sheriff's Office reports, Danielle Jones, the boy's first-period teacher, was drinking her morning coffee when she left to use the restroom.

During her absence, the boy allegedly dropped one of his prescribed Clonidine pills in her drink. Clonidine, which is used to treat high blood pressure, decreases the heart rate and relaxes blood vessels so that blood can flow more easily through the body.

The boy told deputies he takes the medication to help him sleep, according to Twis Lizasuain, Sheriff's office spokeswoman.

During her next class, Jones began to feel nauseous, dizzy and drowsy, prompting another teacher to take her home. Jones did not seek help at a hospital; however, she followed up with her personal doctor, Lizasuain said.

Rumors swirled around the school about the alleged poisoning, reports said. After speaking with several students who witnessed the act, the school's resource officer, who is a sworn deputy, confirmed that the boy put a pill in his teacher's drink because he was upset she had yelled at him earlier in the day.

Based on the information, the boy was charged with poisoning food with the intent to injure.

Additional charges may be filed as the investigation is ongoing, Lizasuain said.

While no criminal laws were broken by the boy bringing the medication to school because the pills are prescribed to him, Lizasuain said, the child may face disciplinary action through the Osceola County School District.

According to the Osceola County School’s Student Code of Conduct, the parent of a student on prescribed medication that needs to be administered during the school day must bring the original prescription bottle to the school’s clinic. There, the parent must count the pills and sign off on no more than a 30-day supply.

Exceptions can be made on a case-by-case basis, according to Kim McKnight, spokeswoman for the School District. Medications such as asthma inhalers or Epipens, which are used for emergency allergic reactions, can be carried by the student if approved by the district.

If a student is caught on campus with a controlled substance, such as alcohol or medication, even if the pills are prescribed to the student, the child could face suspension or expulsion, depending on the situation, McKnight said. Factors include whether the substance was distributed to others and whether the substance was consumed on campus.

The district does not comment on specific disciplinary cases due to confidentiality of students’ records.