Timmins girl injured by needle highlights persistent problem with used syringes

People in Timmins have been complaining about used needles being discarded around the city, including local parks.

Nine-year-old Kataleya said she’s now worried about visiting local parks after being pierced by a discarded needle at Hollinger Park.

“Stepping on a needle is scary. You don’t know if you’ll die or not,” she said.

She was taking a turn on an inflatable slide at an event this past Friday when she felt a searing pain.

“I thought it was just a pin,” Kataleya said.

“After I looked at it a second time, I’m like, nope that’s a needle.”

Her mother Melissa Laberge, said she flagged down a police officer who happened to be in the area.

“I was scared and I was shaking,” Laberge said.

“They checked her wound and they had called an ambulance right away to clean her wound.”

Laberge took her daughter to the hospital to take blood samples. The experience has left them fed up with having to deal with needles littered all over the city.

A nine-year-old girl in Timmins is now worried about visiting local parks after being pierced by a discarded needle at Hollinger Park. (Photo from video)

“She’s several times come up to me, ‘Mom, there’s needles. Mom, look, there’s a needle,’” she said, of her daughter.

“Kids don’t need to see that at a park. It’s supposed to be for the children.”

City officials instruct people to call the Porcupine Health Unit or Living Space for needle cleanup — or to carefully do so themselves.

One city councillor said the city is looking into a solution.

“I’ve always thought that it would be the city’s responsibility,” said Coun. Cory Robin.

PASS THE BUCK

“If you have needles in your yard, you call Service Timmins. I don’t want to pass the buck to anybody else, I think that’s what we should do.”

A city staff report on the issue is expected to come in the fall. Meanwhile, Laberge just wants her daughter to be safe.

“I’m praying that she doesn’t have anything, I’m scared,” she said.

During reporting this story, this reporter also stepped on and was injured in the foot by a stray needle. During the subsequent hospital visit, a doctor told me that many people have been coming in with injuries from stray needles.

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But the doctor added that risk of contracting a disease is very low, especially in this area, due to the low presence of HIV in the population and the fact viruses don’t survive long when exposed to the elements.