D.C. police said yesterday they are intensifying their search for an older man they think gave a 3-year-old boy in Southeast a plastic Easter egg containing prescription painkillers.
Lt. Erich C. Miller, with the Metropolitan Police Department’s Synchronized Operations Command Center, said police are questioning local residents and putting together a composite sketch of a suspect.
“We’re doing everything we can,” Lt. Miller said. “This case is bad news.”
Lt. Miller said police also are investigating whether the man gave out similar Easter eggs to other children in the neighborhood.
According to police reports, a man described as in his 60s gave a plastic purple-and-yellow Easter egg to the boy, who was playing Saturday afternoon outside his home in the 3500 block of 18th Street SE.
An adult saw the boy with the Easter egg and found inside it five pills of Naproxen, a prescription-strength painkiller used to treat inflammatory diseases such as bursitis and arthritis.
Naproxen can be toxic if taken in large quantities. One of its side effects is a dramatic increase in the patient’s potassium levels, which could lead to cardiac arrest.
Some of the boy’s neighbors said yesterday they were concerned for the safety of their children.
Carleton Coleman, a married father of two sons, ages 10 and 18, described the neighborhood as a quiet place where many single parents live.
“You hear about stolen cars, domestic arguments and car accidents around here,” Mr. Coleman said. “But this is different. Nothing this crazy has ever happened before.
“This is something that should worry all of the parents around here,” he said. “You’ve got to watch out for these things.”
Neighbor Marlaena Bethea said she was at home when she heard police sirens Saturday.
“I didn’t see the guy,” she said. “I guess we’ll just have to wait for the police to release a description.”
Police are asking anyone with information about the incident to call 202/727-9099.
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