Girl finds bag of suspected cocaine at Nanaimo elementary school

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WATCH: A disturbing discovery at a Nanaimo elementary school has parents on high alert. A 10-year-old girl found a baggie containing a white substance, believed to be crack cocaine, at the school’s playground. Kendall Hanson reports.

Parents taking their kids to Nanaimo’s Cilaire Elementary School are keeping a watchful eye out after a 10-year-old girl discovered a baggie containing what’s believed to be crack cocaine.

“I was very disturbed as were many of the other parents,” said Teri-Lynn Elson, a parent at the school.

“It’s sad though that it’s in the schools and now our children are vulnerable to it and being exposed to it,” said Shanan Khela, another parent.

The baggie was found on one of the school’s playgrounds last week.

The girl took the baggie to her mother who said she handed it over to the RCMP.

One neighbour says the incident highlights a growing problem.

“Pretty disappointing. They started the neighbourhood block watch in the last year-and-a-half just because of lots of recent break-ins in the neighbourhood and stuff like that,” said neighbour Conor Pierce. “We’ve kind of seen that thing creeping in more and more.”

Neighbours also said people are camping in the park beside the school grounds.

It has parents asking if those campers could have left the suspected drugs. That assumption has not been proven.

Regardless, a number of parents are planning on taking action come September.

“We discussed that too and we’re going to put something together so we all take turns sweeping the school grounds,” said Elson.

The school district says students shouldn’t be touching suspected drugs or paraphernalia such as discarded needles.

“We definitely don’t want them to pick that up. That’s the number one rule. Do not touch it,” said Dale Burgos with the Nanaimo-Ladysmith School District. “There are drugs out there that if you just get it on your fingertips, it could be lethal.”

Instead, the district says students should tell the closest adult or teacher who will notify staff trained in cleaning up drugs and related supplies.

The school’s parents say they will work to increase student safety to ensure students don’t make any other disturbing discoveries in the future.

Kendall HansonKendall Hanson

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