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Mother to combat Paso Robles drug problem after son finds needle

November 17, 2016

15078913_1319237874761212_28660901971663901_nInfuriated by her young son apparently getting pricked by a needled at a city park, a Paso Robles mother is launching a crusade against Paso Robles’ “heroin epidemic.”

On Nov. 11, Desirae De Hoyos and a friend brought their sons to Centennial Park. While De Hoyos was walking on stairs, her 4-year-old boy, Blake, picked up a used syringe.

Initially, De Hoyos thought Blake had not been pricked by the needle. But, the next morning, her son woke up complaining about his finger hurting and De Hoyos noticed a tiny mark on Blake’s finger. De Hoyos took her son to the emergency room, but it is not clear yet if he contracted anything from the needle.

After De Hoyos posted her son’s story on Facebook, she began hearing more stories about the drug problem in Paso Robles, she wrote. One mother told De Hoyos that her son had, too, picked up a syringe at a city park and that there was blood in the hub.

De Hoyos also said a mother told her that, while pushing her stroller, she saw two people shooting up on the walking path behind Albertson’s. Likewise, another person who works in the community said he has seen at least 10 syringes over the last month.

“In order to fix a problem you have to make others aware that a problem exists so I’m sharing this with you,” De Hoyos said in a Facebook post. “I’m taking a stand and I will be a voice for our community!”

The Paso Robles mother said she has contacted the city manager, as well as the two local news outlets and the police department. Paso Robles police did not give De Hoyos a response to her liking.

“I’m infuriated! I’m not ok with the police department telling me they are aware of the problem, and that it’s been a problem for four years now,” De Hoyos wrote.

De Hoyos said she will now bring the matter to the city council and offer at least four ideas on how to nip the problem in the bud, keep walking paths safe and keep the town from being overrun by the heroin epidemic.


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I sincerely hope she and others can brainstorm and come up with realistic solutions.


But just blaming the police that they can’t stop it is wrong. More than likely they would rather not have syringes laying on playgrounds either.


Just to be clear though, once this ‘epidemic’ ends, another begins.


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I would NEVER let my kids play at Centennial Park. I commend the mother for taking a stand and attempting to clean up the drug and gang infested area, but shame on her ignorance in the first place.


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Gotta watch out for those “weed needles”, thank goodness paso is on top of banning that. I saw a few wine needles the other day, totally ok though. Just a few casualties while driving, no big.


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You can take this to the bank, if just one needle was found on or in a single wine tasting room or even the parking lot there would be public outrage…


Why should a mother have to worry about her 4year old child being stuck by a junkies crap? She could sue the city and most likely would win.

It is the responsibility of public works staff to assure their parks are clean and safe, if not or they find evidence of junkies dope tools, they need top say something…


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It’s all well and good to be infuriated, but how do you “fix it?” This problem has some very deep reasons for existing, and anger about it seems unlikely to be among the fixes. So, let’s hear some ideas other than “lock em up” which clearly hasn’t worked since that’s what we do now.


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tax the rich, give to the poor? wait…. gosh that wont work!


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I guess since the government hands out free needles the junkies don’t need to keep their needles like they once did.


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Sadly, this problem is not limited to Paso:

http://www.mercurynews.com/2016/01/13/storm-flow-bring-syringes-to-santa-cruz-beach/


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It’s always someone else who is at fault. I’d have had a closer eye on a 4 year old in a public area. I hope Child Services is hearing this.


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Based on your comment, I assume you’ve never had kids. Do you expect a mother of a four year old to hover over her child who is playing at a park? And you’re seriously suggesting that the mother be investigated for child endangerment because her four year old was poked by a needle that some idiot left on the playground? What you’re proposing is the type of helicopter parenting that the “someone else is always at fault” crowd normally derides.


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Two kids. I put them in specially engineered bubbles and rolled them around.


My point is that if you go to Needle Park I expect you will find needles. Anyone who reads the news knows that Centennial Park is a haven for criminals of all types. It’s irresponsible to bring a child there.


Is this OK? No! But policing it would simply move the criminals to another location. Yea? Nah. At least we know that Centennial Park is a place to avoid and that the criminal activity is contained. Take your babies elsewhere for the time being or be aware of your surroundings. I’d rather the police were searching for that idiot armed robber than performing trash pickup at the park.


Dear Ms. De Hoyos,


When visiting a zoo, please don’t hold your child over the wall at the ape exhibit so he can get a closer look. Kudos to you if you already know this.


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We get the point.


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I was just needling you all.


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Stop “poking” fun at this serious dilemma (I had to get n on the funnys)


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Sad ,that a mother can’t take her child to a public park and be free from fear of a HAZMAT incident. Four years old is the time to live life not worry about getting stuck with a junkies trash…


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