At least one concerned parent is speaking out after a pair of needles were found at the top of a stairwell near Rutland Learning Centre on Monday morning.
According to Kelowna resident Kandra Seguin, the needles were found when a grandmother was dropping off her grandchild to go to school for the day. After Seguin was notified on a local Facebook group that a “greenish” substance was found in the needles, she called police to let them know about the situation.
READ MORE: More than a dozen needles found at popular Vernon beach
“I called the police, and I got the interpretation that they didn’t follow-up with it. They didn’t call me back”, she said.
Sheryl Thompson, the teacher who was notified about the situation by students, said she didn’t know what was in the needles, but properly disposed of them in a disposal box.
“I contacted my administrator to make sure I was following the right protocol to pick up the needles. It didn’t look like the needles had been used. They still had safety caps on them,” said Thompson.
“They could’ve been used for insulin or for diabetes. We don’t know.”
Thompson said that this isn’t the first time needles have been found by the staircase near the end of the strip mall.
“This is my third year working here. I think we’ve seen needles here on two or three separate occasions.”
While no one was hurt in the incident, Seguin has said that more needs to be done by police.
“I’d like a protocol to be followed when needles are found full of a substance,” she said.
“We’re just concerned that there’s drugs laying around where our kids are playing. No one seems to care.”
In a statement, the RCMP said they never received a call about the needles.
If the RCMP find abondoned needles a spokesperson said they destroy them and attempt to conduct an investigation.
@connortrembleyconnor.trembley@kelownacapnews.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
