Mum finds mystery pill at the bottom of son’s Coco Pops

A mother has issued a warning to parents after her four-year-old son found a suspicious pill in his bowl of Kellogg's Coco Pops.

Karlee Tweedie, from Lake Macquarie, NSW, told nine.com.au she was on holiday in Nelson Bay when she bought a packet of Coco Pops for her four-year son, Alex, from the local Woolworths on Australia Day.

But it wasn’t until last Saturday when he was eating the cereal that the mystery tablet was spotted.

“My son had eaten his cereal and when he was at the bottom of the bowl he come in to me and goes, ‘Mum look’.

“I looked in his bowl there the capsule was. It was still together and when I lifted it out it mashed up.”

Confused, Ms Tweedie said she asked her son where the pill came from.

“He said it was in the bowl, mum, it was just sitting at the bottom of the bowl,” she said.

Ms Tweedie said she contacted Kellogg's straight away.

Ms Tweedie said a representative from Kellogg's had examined the photo and told her the writing on the pill indicated it could be Duromine.

Duromine is an amphetamine-based medication used mainly for weight loss.

However, a spokesperson for Kellogg's said the pill had only been collected for testing yesterday and it was not yet known what it was.

The spokesperson said Kellogg's had not received any other reports about suspicious pills being found.

“We’re in contact with a consumer who has let us know she found a tablet in her Coco Pops. The health and safety of our consumers is our number one priority,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

“Along with manufacturing based on strict quality standards, we also have policies in place that prohibit employees bringing medications into the plant. We are doing a full investigation with our team and are staying in touch with the consumer.”

“Based on the available information, our food on the shelf is safe to eat.”

Ms Tweedie said she was horrified when she discovered the pill could have been Duromine.

“I’m freaking out for my son that he could have eaten it,” she said, adding that other parents should take care.

“I hope there aren’t any other cases. I don’t think there would be more but you can’t be too careful,” she said.

Contact reporter Emily McPherson at emcpherson@nine.com.au.