Sources: PhillyVoice.com; TapInto.net
A substance believed to be heroin was found in a child’s batch of Halloween candy after attending a family event in Cape May County, officials said.
The child received the mysterious bag after attending a “Trunk or Treat” event at the Shore Family Success Center in Rio Grande, Middle Township police said on Saturday. The child’s mother was checking the candy when the bag was found and notified police. The contents of the bag are believed to be heroin, officials said.
The child’s mother said that the bag was a plastic “baggie” with a small piece of paper inside of it, according to 6ABC. She said she looked at the bag twice before realizing it wasn’t candy.
The “Trunk or Treat” event held by the local community center is a family-friendly event where children in costumes trick or treat in a parking lot with decorated cars. This is the only reported incident, police said.
The incident is still under investigation. Police are advising that all parents and guardians should “check their children’s candy bags thoroughly and contact the police if they discover anything suspicious or out of the ordinary.”
In a letter sent to parents Thursday, Nutley Superintendent of Schools Dr. Julie Glazer reported that the Nutley Health Department confirmed that there was a case of measles in Washington Elementary School.
In her letter, Glazer stated that the district has been “tracking this case before it was confirmed and now will continue to monitor and follow guidance from the New Jersey and local Departments of Health. The custodians have sanitized and disinfected the building.”
“Measles is a contagious respiratory disease caused by a virus. Symptoms include: rash, high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. Measles are no longer contagious four days after the onset of the rash, Glazer wrote.
According to Glazer, staff and students not at Washington School on Friday, September 27, are not at risk for measles. She continued that parents with specific questions about their child are encouraged to reach out to their family’s physician.
Measles is a vaccine-preventable disease. According to the New Jersey Department of Health, that anyone who has not had measles, or is not vaccinated against measles, is can contract the disease.
The NJ Dept. of Health reports that “anyone who suspects an exposure is urged to CALL a healthcare provider BEFORE going to a medical office or emergency department. A person infected with measles can spread the disease before showing symptoms; therefore, special arrangements need to be made when you visit your doctor or emergency department to help protect others from getting sick.”