Just last week images were released by Ohio police of two heroin addicts who had overdosed with a four year old in the car, and this latest footage of a distressed child is just as upsetting to see.
A toddler, dressed in ‘Frozen’ pyjamas in a store, can be seen crying and pulling her mother as she lies unconscious on the floor of the toy aisle in a dollar store.
The footage has been released by police in Lawrence, Massachusetts, who described it as a “heartbreaking” example of the reality of drug addiction. Lawrence Police Chief said:
“It’s heartbreaking. This is definitely evidence that shows what addiction can do to someone and what happens when they use these types of narcotics.”
Officers called to the scene found drug paraphernalia in the diaper bag being carried by the 36 year-old woman. After being revived with Narcan, the woman denied she had overdosed and “said she was just tired and dozed off”, according to the police officer’s report.
Drugs counsellor Deanna Cruz has criticized those who watched but didn’t appear to intervene or help the mother and child. She told NECN: “Why not help a crying child whose mother is laying there. I like to see her as a person who happens to have an addiction issue.”
Following the incident, the 2 year-old was taken into ‘emergency custody’ by the Department of Children and Families.
