Toddler tests positive for stimulant after visiting Thurston County park, deputies say
A toddler tested positive for amphetamines after visiting an Thurston County park with family, sparking rumors of methamphetamine exposure on social media.
The child’s parents believe, through process of elimination, that he was exposed to amphetamines at Burfoot Park at around 3-4:45 p.m. on Monday, July 11, according to a news release from the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office.
The 21-month-old child was treated at Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital in Tacoma. He has since been released and is recovering at home, according to the news release.
Following the incident, the Sheriff’s Office said inaccurate information proliferated on social media.
The Sheriff’s Office confirmed the child tested positive for amphetamines rather than methamphetamine, but it’s unclear how he may have been exposed. Deputies have not found any signs of narcotics use at Burfoot Park, the release says.
Furthermore, the child’s parents are not under investigation and the Sheriff’s Office does not suspect any wrongdoing on their part.
Amphetamines and methamphetamine are both stimulant drugs. But amphetamines are often prescribed by a doctor to treat certain conditions while methamphetamine is an illicit street drug.
The incident started on Monday when the child’s parents noticed he was acting erratically and struggling to sit still or sleep, according to the release. In response, they took the child to the hospital.
The next day, the Sheriff’s Office received a call from the hospital notifying them of the amphetamine exposure. The child’s parents told deputies they believe the child may have ingested something on the ground while playing at the park, according to the news release.
While the family initially thought the child tested positive for methamphetamine at the hospital, the discharge medical records stated he tested positive for amphetamines.
“The family had a lot going on and this could have easily been misunderstood on their part or initially explained wrong because of the similarities,” Sgt. Chris Packard said in an updated news release.
The child was not tested for methamphetamine exposure, according to the update.
Anyone who finds suspicious substances, activity or drug paraphernalia can call dispatch at 360-704-2740. In the event of an emergency, call 911.
