MONROE - Two discarded hypodermic syringes were found this week in Monroe parks, one injuring a 9-year-old boy, according to the Monroe Police Department.
At about 2:13 p.m. Wednesday, June 20, police were notified by the Monroe Clinic emergency room that a 9-year-old Monroe boy was being treated for minor injuries from a stab wound from the needle of a syringe, according to a department news release.
Police say the boy reported feeling a stab while playing in a sandy area in Lincoln Park, on Monroe's south side, and pulled up a syringe that had been in the sand.
The syringe is being held as evidence at the police station and may be sent to the state crime lab for testing.
Chief Fred Kelley said there is no indication of how the syringe had been used, whether for a medical purpose or for intravenous drug use, or even if it had been used before it was discarded.
"There was nothing to indicate there was anything in the barrel," he said.
The syringe is an older model intended for injecting insulin and is not currently in use in hospitals, according to information provided to police by Monroe Clinic staff.
Another discarded hypodermic syringe was reportedly found the same day in Twining Park, on Monroe's north side, but the person who called police to report finding it threw it in a trash can.
Workers with the Monroe Parks Department emptied and searched trash cans in Twining Park but did not locate any syringes.
Parks workers also spent Thursday and Friday raking the sandy areas in all city parks but did not locate any other syringes.
This is the first incident of its kind in anyone's memory in Monroe and it appears to be isolated, according to Kelley.
Still, he is concerned.
"I have some unanswered questions," he said.
He cautions park visitors to be careful.
"To me there's an analogy with Halloween. Check the candy. You don't know what's out there," he said.
In the news release, he issued the following warning to park visitors:
"All visitors to the city parks should be aware that at any time, someone could unintentionally leave a syringe behind which had been used for legitimate medical reasons. Anyone with a medical condition that requires the use of a syringe is asked to make sure to secure these in an appropriate and safe manner."
At about 2:13 p.m. Wednesday, June 20, police were notified by the Monroe Clinic emergency room that a 9-year-old Monroe boy was being treated for minor injuries from a stab wound from the needle of a syringe, according to a department news release.
Police say the boy reported feeling a stab while playing in a sandy area in Lincoln Park, on Monroe's south side, and pulled up a syringe that had been in the sand.
The syringe is being held as evidence at the police station and may be sent to the state crime lab for testing.
Chief Fred Kelley said there is no indication of how the syringe had been used, whether for a medical purpose or for intravenous drug use, or even if it had been used before it was discarded.
"There was nothing to indicate there was anything in the barrel," he said.
The syringe is an older model intended for injecting insulin and is not currently in use in hospitals, according to information provided to police by Monroe Clinic staff.
Another discarded hypodermic syringe was reportedly found the same day in Twining Park, on Monroe's north side, but the person who called police to report finding it threw it in a trash can.
Workers with the Monroe Parks Department emptied and searched trash cans in Twining Park but did not locate any syringes.
Parks workers also spent Thursday and Friday raking the sandy areas in all city parks but did not locate any other syringes.
This is the first incident of its kind in anyone's memory in Monroe and it appears to be isolated, according to Kelley.
Still, he is concerned.
"I have some unanswered questions," he said.
He cautions park visitors to be careful.
"To me there's an analogy with Halloween. Check the candy. You don't know what's out there," he said.
In the news release, he issued the following warning to park visitors:
"All visitors to the city parks should be aware that at any time, someone could unintentionally leave a syringe behind which had been used for legitimate medical reasons. Anyone with a medical condition that requires the use of a syringe is asked to make sure to secure these in an appropriate and safe manner."