Toddler Had Heroin Stuffed in Coat, Say NJ Police; Father Arrested, Held on $85,000 Bail
A toddler had heroin packets inside his jacket when he was sent to a New Jersey daycare Monday, according to reports. Police arrested the 2-year-old's father, 27-year-old Phillip Young, for endangering the welfare of his child.
The toddler with heroin packets in his jacket was attending childcare center Michael's Energy Factory in Paterson, New Jersey when the incident occurred. An employee found that the young child had 48 glassine envelopes of heroin stuffed into their jacket.
Immediately, the childcare worker called Paterson police.
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Authorities arrived and determined that the father, Young, had dropped off the child earlier that day. Soon afterwards, they found and arrested the alleged perpetrator, Paterson Police Lieutenant Bert Ribeiro told the Associated Press.
Young was charged with drug offenses and endangering the welfare of a child. He is currently being held on $85,000 bail.
Authorities said that they did not believe the child had known about the multiple heroin packets or been exposed to them. However, the danger was great, as there have been reports of dangerous laced heroin being sold in the Paterson, N.J. area.
Some of the heroin coming from the Paterson area has reportedly been laced with fentanyl, which has led to nearly 12 deaths in the area recently, according to the Inquisitr. Fentanyl is a synthetic painkiller about 100 times stronger than morphine.
Unfortunately, this isn't the first time the sale of heroin has affected children. Heroin happy meals were found at an East Pittsburgh McDonald's in January when authorities arrested employee Shantia Dennis. She was apparently using her job as a cover to sell the drugs, telling her special customers in advance to use the code: "I'd like to order a toy."
Authorities found another 50 bags of heroin in the 26-year-old employee's purse, $80 and marijuana in her bra.
Another McDonald's employees in Murraysville, Pa. was busted earlier this year for dealing heroin as well.
