Carson City Sheriff: boy pricked by needle found in teddy bear at Mark Twain Elementary

Carson City, Nev. (MyNews4.com & KRNV) — A teddy bear was found at Mark Twain Elementary School on Wednesday with five hypodermic needles inside that tested positive for methamphetamine, according to Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong.

Deputies responded shortly after noon after a 7-year-old student found the bear in an outside trash can on the playgrounds, Furlong said in a statement. The boy was “pricked” by a needle inside.

The deputies took the bear and found five hypodermic syringes hidden inside. Presumptive tests gave a positive indication for methamphetamine, according to Furlong, and authorities are performing further testing for communicable diseases.

The boy’s parents and grandparents were immediately contacted by school officials, and the parents elected to take him to an area emergency room for treatment. Furlong told News 4 in an interview later Wednesday that the boy’s health might need to be monitored for at least a year.

“With Halloween coming on, this is a good time to remind parents to talk with their children, don’t pick up anything that they’re not familiar with,” he said in the interview.

School officials at Mark Twain secured the playground areas, he said, and other items, including alcohol containers, were located and given to officers.