LaSalle Waterfront Park in Niagara Falls is usually a family friendly place that overlooks Niagara River. But, one grandfather says, there was nothing family friendly this past Tuesday.
“My six-year-old grandson found a hypodermic needle, a syringe,” said Paul Townsend, the boy’s grandfather. Townsend took the boy and his cousin to the park on a bike ride. “As he was trying to put the cap back on, he missed and pricked his finger with it accidentally.”
The boy didn't tell anyone until he was home with his mother. After multiple trips to the hospital, doctors prescribed preventative medicine, just in case the needle was contaminated.
“He has to take medicine, three different kinds of medicine for 28 days, two times a day,” said Dawn Townsend, the boy’s grandmother.
The boy's grandparents are asking families everywhere to educate their children.
“It's terrible that our children have to be aware of this, but we need to tell our children what a syringe is and to stay away from them,” said Dawn.
The City of Niagara Falls says there are parks where they receive reports of syringes, but LaSalle Waterfront Park isn't one of them. They ask if anyone sees a needle disposed of improperly to alert authorities. The city says they were unable to find any additional needles at the park.
