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Mom expresses concerns over used needles found in park 

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Woman plans to spearhead a movement to curb drug use at parks after her child was pricked by a used needle

–Paso Robles resident Desirae De Hoyos was enjoying Centennial Park with her young son Blake last Friday morning when she says he found a used syringe needle on the walking trail and was subsequently pricked by the sharp object. After Blake woke up the next morning with a sore finger, De Hoyos said she immediately took him to the hospital where he was tested for possible viruses. Blake underwent a baseline blood test on Monday, but doctors won’t know if the boy has contracted a disease like HIV or Hep C until another test can be performed in six months, as viruses do not show up right away on tests, she says.

Alarmed, De Hoyos says she has also heard several other stories from concerned parents in Paso Robles who have had similar experiences. “The more moms I talk to, the more I’m learning that this is a big problem,” she says. “There has been another mom whose child has picked up a syringe with blood in the hub, and there was another mom who took her kids walking behind Albertson’s and they ran into two people shooting up right in front of them on the walking trail.”

De Hoyos says she is organizing a movement to work with local law enforcement and civilians to do what they can to eliminate drug use in local parks and public areas, and she encourages other community members to get involved in the effort.

De Hoyos plans to bring this issue to the Paso Robles City Council Tuesday night and will be offering ideas on how to eliminate this growing epidemic from the community. Additionally, she has filed a formal police report with the Paso Robles Police Department regarding the instance with her son.

De Hoyos said that the police department confirmed that the Centennial Park area is a known hot spot for heroin use. She also said that her pediatrician and the police department both think that the needle was likely a drug needle, and not one that was used for a medical purpose such as diabetes.

Anyone with information to share should contact the Paso Robles Police Department at (805) 237-6464.

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The news staff of the Paso Robles Daily News wrote or edited this story from local contributors and press releases. The news staff can be reached at info@pasoroblesdailynews.com.