Girl, 7, Hospitalized After Accidental Overdose on Mother's Weight Loss Medication

A seven-year-old American girl was recently admitted to the hospital after mistakenly overdosing on her mother's GLP-1 weight loss medication.

Jessa Milender, who is now eight, was discovered unconscious in December 2024 after she gave herself an injection with her mother’s weight loss drug.

"I thought it was medicine for stomach aches," Jessa shared during an interview with WHAS-11. "My mom uses it and I believed it helped her feel better when she had stomach problems."

Jessa's mother, Melissa, found her daughter, who had used 60% of the GLP-1 injector pen. Alarmed by the situation, she promptly contacted poison control for assistance.

According to medical records reported by the outlet, Jessa was experiencing severe vomiting almost every hour, along with diarrhea, constipation, and intense abdominal discomfort.

When she arrived at the emergency room, Jessa exhibited sunken eyes and pale skin, prompting doctors to hook her up to an IV for hydration.

Melissa recounted her distressing experience, stating, "The ER staff were unsure how to handle the situation. They reached out to Poison Control, but everyone seemed equally bewildered."

Initially discharged after her symptoms improved, Jessa returned home, but soon began vomiting again, leading Melissa to second-guess the doctors’ decision.

"We weren't prepared for how severe things would become," Melissa stated. "I regret allowing them to send her home."

As Jessa's condition worsened, she became so frail that her mother had to assist her to the bathroom.

"The only thing she expressed interest in was drinking water, but even that made her sick," Melissa described.

Upon returning to the hospital, Jessa's health declined further, as she ceased urinating, raising concerns about her kidney function.

"For six consecutive days, she didn’t eat anything," Melissa recounted tearfully, calling it the most harrowing week of their lives. "She's my little girl, so it was incredibly tough to witness."

Melissa felt as though Jessa was on the brink of death, stating, "Her appearance was alarming. She had lost a significant amount of weight, and her cheeks and eyes were sunken."

"She couldn't move due to extreme tiredness and sharp pain. Even the slightest touch on her stomach would cause her to cry out in agony while asleep. It's truly miraculous that she hasn’t suffered any long-term effects," Melissa explained.

Now, Melissa keeps her medications secured in a locked box, reflecting on how the situation could have escalated further. "I had just obtained the medication the same day Jessa overdosed," she said. "It's remained in my fridge ever since."

She emphasized the gravity of the incident, saying, "Once someone has injected too much, there’s no easy fix or reversal. You're left to deal with the potential consequences."

Melissa hopes that by sharing her experience, other parents will realize the importance of safeguarding their medications from children. "I felt lost in knowing how to help her. I should have firmly instructed her never to touch this. It was such an unanticipated occurrence that I hadn’t prepared for, nor did I think to."