A West Middlesex Area High School student was taken to a hospital after taking a drug, Mercer County District Attorney James Epstein said Friday.

Epstein said he did not know if the student had taken Temazepam, a drug another student has been charged with passing to two students on Thursday, but acknowledged the ill student is part of the investigation into the Temazepam case.

"A child involved in our case did become ill and was taken to a hospital," he said.

West Middlesex School Board President Thomas Hubert said he was informed by Superintendent Albert Jones that a student had been taken to a hospital but was not told the child's condition.

Jones could not be reached for comment.

High School Principal Russell Ridenbaugh said he could release no information on students or comment on internal matters.

"I have to protect the rights of our students," he said. "We're handling everything the way we have to handle it. The whole administrative team is on board."

The student became ill Thursday at Mercer County Career Center, Coolspring Township.

"When the student came into the school in the morning he was fine," said center Director Rachel Martin.

The student arrived on the bus at 8 a.m., but was ill by about 8:15, complaining of being very tired, she said.

The boy was taken to United Community Hospital, Pine Township, she said.

William Shirley, 18, of 1309 Bend Road, Lackawannock Township, was arrested Thursday on charges of one count of possession of Temazepam and two counts each of possession with intent to deliver and corruption of minors.

Shirley, a West Middlesex High senior, gave at least four pills to two 16-year-old students at 1:07 p.m. at the high school, Southwest Mercer County Regional police said.

Hubert said he was told a student was given the drug at the career center.

Shirley was arraigned before District Justice Henry J. Russo, Hermitage, who released him on the conditions that he stay away from the school unless he has to be there for an official purpose, and to stay away from the alleged victims.

Temazepam, which is sold under the brand name Restoril, is used for short-term treatment of insomnia, and is in the same family of drugs as Valium.