Fathers spotted colorful packages labeled with psilocybin claims in Ocean Beach trick-or-treat bags; police probe ongoing as lab tests pending and homeowner denies ownership.
Halloween night in Ocean Beach took a turn no parent expects. On October 31, 2026, two fathers walking a short distance behind their kids spotted something wrong in the haul.
Frank Cary (also reported as Carey) watched his two-year-old grab a bright package from a porch candy bowl. The pouch had a smiling giraffe, melting-style lettering, and tropical flavor branding that looked a lot like specialty candy. Cary took it from his son’s hand.
“My 2-year-old went up and grabbed one and started walking away with it in his hand,”
Cary told NBC 7.
“I noticed the picture had a giraffe and words that looked like they were melting. I took it out of his hand and saw that there was a dosage on the front of it. Five grams, then I flipped it around and read ‘psilocybin mushrooms.’”
Cameron Hunter was with him. The pair checked the rest of the kids’ bags, went back to the house where the bowl still sat outside, and confronted people there. Hunter recorded part of the exchange. In the video shared with local outlets, a woman at the home responded along the lines of not realizing the packages were bad and apologized. The fathers collected the items, reported the incident to the San Diego Police Department, and spoke with news crews.
The packages were iridescent pouches labeled as “Gummy Mushrooms,” with references to a five-gram quantity and 10 pieces. Local reports from NBC 7, ABC 10News, and CBS 8 describe the labeling consistently pointing to psilocybin, though some coverage notes conflicting unit details that police have not resolved.
Shawn Barger, the homeowner identified in NBC 7 reporting, denied the bowl or gummies belonged to his household. He said his wife was confused by the confrontation. Barger pointed to the house’s neighborhood reputation.
“I don’t know, everyone thinks it’s like the witch house or the dead house or the scary house or something,”
He told reporters. He also stressed the cost: roughly $20 per package, potentially around $300 for a full bowl’s worth.
“I don’t have $300 to, like, spend to make myself look bad, you know what I mean. It’s ridiculous.”
San Diego police confirmed they received a report on Halloween about a home potentially distributing drugs to children. Lieutenant Cesar Jimenez told NBC 7 that laboratory testing is required before investigators can determine whether a crime occurred or charges are appropriate. He praised the parents for staying with their kids, checking the candy, handling the confrontation safely, and contacting authorities.
No lab results have been released. No charges have been filed. CBS 8 reported no other similar incidents that night. There is no indication any child consumed the packages or suffered harm.
Concerns about mushroom-branded edibles are not new in the U.S. The 2024 Diamond Shruumz investigation, which involved illnesses tied to certain products, highlighted risks with mislabeled or inconsistently formulated items. Nothing links those cases to the Ocean Beach packages.
Lab results will decide the next steps. Until then, the story remains what the parents found, what the homeowner denied, and what investigators still need to confirm. Parents checking candy bags remains the practical takeaway.
