Eight young members of a French choir were admitted to the hospital following episodes resembling seizures during a performance.
In an unexpected turn of events, eight young singers from the Chœur d'Enfants d'Île-de-France choir, aged between 11 and 13, were hospitalized during their performance at St. Paul's Church in Harvard Square, Boston, on July 24, 2025.
The incident occurred at around 7:30 PM, during the choir's concert, with the first child exhibiting seizure symptoms. Seven more followed shortly after, leading to a rapid response from emergency services.
Upon arrival, the Cambridge fire department's hazardous materials unit conducted a thorough environmental sweep of the church, including air-quality tests and ventilation checks. However, they found no hazardous substances that could explain the children's symptoms.
Fire Chief Thomas Cahill of Cambridge described the incident as unusual. He stated, "This is not a situation we encounter regularly. Our primary concern was the safety and wellbeing of the children involved."
The choir, based in Paris, France, was in the middle of a US tour at the time of the incident. The concert was not attended by any audience members who reported experiencing relevant symptoms themselves.
The hospitalized choir members have since been discharged, and the choir has resumed their tour. The cause of the incident remains unconfirmed, but some audience members reported smelling something unusual before the children showed symptoms.
It appears that the seizure-like symptoms experienced by the young singers may have been caused by exposure to an unusual odour at the venue. Further investigations are ongoing to confirm the exact cause.
[1] Source: Boston Globe [2] Source: Cambridge Fire Department Report
The mysterious incident that affected the young singers might be linked to their exposure to an unusual odor at the venue, shedding light on the potential connection between health-and-wellness, mental-health, and neurological-disorders. Further research in the field of science, including medical-conditions and neurological-disorders, could provide insights into the specific causes and effects of such exposure on children's health.
