Efforts to obtain information regarding reports of an incident that involved children injured by a syringe found in the playground of a daycare center late last week have gone cold and unresponsive from authorities and officials at the center.
Several parental sources contacted RLS Metro Breaking News (while the incident was breaking). Members of our crew rushed over to the daycare center located in the 20s block of Elizabeth Avenue shortly after 1 p.m. on Thursday afternoon, where we observed EMS units stationed inside the gate of the daycare center with several police officers canvassing the Elizabeth Avenue side of the building, the location of a child’s play area.
There was at least one parent hurrying a young boy out of the rear door of the center and into a waiting vehicle; the woman did not offer a statement.
According to a parental source who asked to remain anonymous, an emergency call was made from 23 Elizabeth Ave. (The Centre, Inc. Child Care Center)
stating that there were two injured children at that location.
Emergency responders arrived at the scene and learned that one male student (around the age of 5) found a discarded and used hypodermic needle on the school grounds, a witness told RLS Metro.
The child then punctured at least two children with the dirty needle, per the source. One of the children was stuck in the leg, while the other suffered a puncture to their arm.
Both children were rushed to University Hospitals’s Trauma Center for treatment where the extent of their injuries are still unknown.
We observed a crime scene unit at the facility where it is believed that the needle was recovered and taken for testing.
About 40 students were taken out of the facility and walked in the direction of a nearby gas station by several workers, where we later learned that a portion of the facility was being used as a dining hall for a funeral repast and not some form of an evacuation due to the incident.
An immediate call to the daycare center was answered by a “receptionist” who delivered the phone call to a female manager, who then told our staff that she was unable to answer any questions.
An information request left at the Newark Police Department had an answer of “no information available” by an unidentified member of the communications department.
We are hoping to bring more information on this report if and when it becomes available.
SYRINGE FILE PHOTO CREDIT: http://saultonline.com