Mother pleads not guilty to poisoning kids' apple juice

CHICAGO (AP) - A suburban Chicago woman has pleaded not guilty to allegations that she tried to poison her young son and daughter by lacing their apple juice.

The Chicago Tribune (http://trib.in/1LuJWk6 ) reports 29-year-old Krystle El Khatib of Schiller Park was arraigned Tuesday on two counts of attempted first-degree murder and four counts of aggravated battery.

Authorities say El Khatib, mad at her children's father, mixed anti-anxiety drugs with juice and forced her kids to drink it in January. The 9-year-old son vomited the next day. He contacted his father, who took his kids to the hospital.

Reports say diagnoses determined the kids had been poisoned. Their father told the newspaper they have recovered and are being cared for.

El Khatib is in jail on a $1.5 million bond. The public defender's office said the attorney representing El Khatib would have no comment.

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Information from: Chicago Tribune, http://www.chicagotribune.com