Man Charged with Child Cruelty After Children Fell Ill at Summer Camp

John Ruben, a 76-year-old man from Nottingham, has been charged with three counts of "wilful ill treatment of a child" following an incident at a summer camp in Stathern, Leicestershire. The charges were brought after several children attending the camp became unwell.
The incident was first reported to Leicestershire Police on Sunday, July 27, when a third party contacted them with concerns about children feeling ill at the summer camp, which was being held at Stathern Lodge. The police and ambulance services were dispatched to the scene on Monday, July 28. Eight children, all boys between the ages of eight and eleven, were taken to the hospital as a precaution. All of the children have since been discharged and have returned home. An adult was also taken to the hospital as a precaution.
Following the initial investigation, John Ruben was arrested at a nearby pub on Monday evening. He was initially detained on suspicion of administering a noxious substance with intent to injure. The charges of child cruelty relate to three separate children at the camp.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) authorized the charges after reviewing the evidence provided by Leicestershire Police. Janine McKinney, Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS East Midlands, stated that the charges relate to three offenses of "wilful ill-treatment of a child."
The owners of Stathern Lodge, the Braithwaite Gospel Trust, have stated that they are independent from the people who hire the lodge and are not connected to the incident.
The police have referred themselves to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) to review their initial response to the incident. Ruben is scheduled to appear at Leicester Magistrates' Court on Saturday.
In light of the seriousness of the situation, authorities have urged the public to refrain from speculating about the case, especially on social media, as it is an active criminal investigation. The police are continuing their inquiries and are providing support to the affected families.
Source@BBC