– A 5-year-old boy handed his teacher at Growing Tree Early Learning Center two small plastic bundles of heroin labeled “overdose.”
Police reports indicated that inside of the boy’s clothes, officials discovered more than 18 packets of heroin. Hartford Police Sargent Neil Dryf said that the packets were all sealed which was fortunate for the children as the drugs may have proven fatal if accidentally ingested.
According to the day care center’s youth services director, Margaret Nareff, those present for the incident were not only shocked, but worried for the children. Nareff was quoted by ABC News having said:
“Everyone was stunned and concerned obviously.”
After the 5-year-old offered up the packets of heroin, his teacher contacted the center’s director who in turn informed the police as well as child welfare of the incident. Subsequently, the five-year-old’s mother Maureen DaCosta was charged with a felony: risk of injury to a minor.
While police investigators are currently checking the bags for fingerprints, DaCosta was quoted by The Hartford Courant having said:
“I’m not crazy enough to let my son get into drugs. It’s too scary. I don’t know where my son got it. I love my son; I’d put my life on it.”
Sgt. Dryf said, “We’re hoping to make additional arrests.” He made no indication as to whether or not the mother would face additional charges derived from the incident.
As drug dealing is apparently common in the area, police proposed the child may have simply found the drugs as opposed to someone actually giving the 5-year-old heroin.