Toronto mother concerned after 5 playgrounds smeared with peanut butter

A Toronto mother whose daughter has a peanut allergy says she has stopped taking her children to a neighbourhood park for now after a report of peanut butter being smeared on playground equipment.

Christina Thibeault, 36, a mother of two, said going to Perth Square Park, near Dupont Street and Symington Avenue, is too much of a risk for her daughter, Emily, 3, whose allergy is life-threatening.

• Parents worried as peanut butter reportedly found smeared in 4 west-end parks

"We are actually just playing in the backyard. I'm trying not to let it make me a prisoner in my home,"Thibeaultsaid Thursday. "The fact that someone is doing this intentionally is disgusting. It's scary. Everyone is really upset about it."

Perthis one of five Toronto parkswith equipment reportedlysmeared with peanut butter,whichcan cause a life-threatening reaction in people who are allergic to it.

Toronto police said Thursday theyare investigating a report of peanut butter on equipmentatWadsworthPark, nearDavenport Road and Laughton Avenue, after a complaint was made. No one has called police about the four other parks.

Thibeault, whohas a new baby, Ethan,10 weeks old, found out about the vandalism involving peanut butterfrom a neighbourhoodFacebook group. She said she will not return to the local park until reports stop surfacing aboutpeanut butter on equipment and will probably do a quick check of equipment from now on.

She said she has read that, in at least one case,peanut butter wassmeared on the underside of equipment, which means it is less likely to be noticed by adults but still within reach of children. She said she lets her daughter roam around equipment and it would be difficult to hover constantly.

'It can kill people'

"I hope it stops before it affects anybody. So far, no one has ingested it. It's horrifying, really. It can kill people."

Toronto police said parents should call police if they notice anything suspicious in a city park.

At Wadsworth, the peanut butter was cleaned up before police arrived and the cleaning hampered the police investigation because officers need to determine how much was smeared, Const. Caroline de Kloet said.

"This is a crime scene," she said. "A report was made, an investigation is underway and we are looking into it."

Last week, there were reports of similar situations at the following west-end parks, in addition to Perth:

• Carleton Park, near Dupont Street and Dundas Road.
• Hillcrest Park, at Davenport Road and Christie Street.
• Dufferin Grove Park, at BloorStreet Westand Dufferin Street.

Peanut allergies can cause reactions ranging from hives and abdominal pain to life-threatening anaphylaxis.

The city says anyone who sees vandalism at any city parkshould call 3-1-1 immediately.