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Parent of Altamonte Elementary student involved in syringe incident wants answers

Two students were taken to the hospital Thursday after a third found a syringe while walking to the school bus and pricked them while playing doctor, officials said.
In a statement, Seminole County Schools only identified the student as “very young” and the situation happened because the three did not grasp “the dangerous consequences of those actions.”
It appears only one of the students’ skin was punctured by the syringe, the district said.
The two pricked students were immediately taken to the hospital for screening, testing and evaluation, and their parents were contacted and apprised of the situation, officials said.
It could be months before the results come back, they said.
Kenzey Varnadore's daughter was one of the two students taken to the hospital Thursday.

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. — He was irate that a student was able to get on the bus with the syringe in the first place.

"What's the odds of someone actually getting punctured with a syringe?" he asked. "So, it drops and the person nearby gets scratched with it, and not punctured with a syringe. We're talking about a needle here."

Varnadore was also upset that the school didn't notify him about the incident for several hours.

"There's a lot of stuff that, you know, that can carry on that needle that are life threatening," he said. "When I say life threatening, it can cause death, you know, whether it's now (or) later."

Seminole County Schools officials said they did not consider the incident criminal in nature.

“There was no criminal intent involved with this incident, therefore, likely no criminal investigation,” the district’s statement said. “In regards to potential district discipline action, we are unable to discuss student discipline matters.”
Parent Lisa Maldonado has two young children and lives near Altamonte Elementary.
The idea that a child could find a syringe on their way to school was disturbing, she said. 
"It's terrifying," she said. "It's like a parent's worst nightmare, to see them come across something that could harm their children."
District officials urged parents to talk with their children, especially younger ones, about the dangers of picking and/or playing with needles found on the ground.
Making sure parents educate their children is critical, parent Stephanie Hall said. 
"Of course, walking around I'm always, 'Don't touch that,' or, 'Don't, it could be dirty,'" she said. "'You don't know where it came from.'"

Cox Media Group

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