Toddler taken to hospital after syringes found in playground

A three-year-oldboy was taken to hospital as a precaution on Saturday after possibly scratching his hand on a syringe in a Toronto elementary school playground.

The incident happened at Charles G.FraserJunior Public School in theTrinity-Bellwoods area, police say.

Const. Craig Brister, spokesperson for Toronto Police Service, said theyreceived acall between 5:00 and 5:30 p.m.

• Toddler scratches hand on syringe in Toronto school playground

"The child was playing in the playground area and came across a small bag" containing several syringes, Brister told CBC News.

Brister said that when his mother checked the boy's hands there was "a small prick mark on his hands," although she was unsure whether or not the mark came from the syringes.

The child was taken to hospital, and Brister says the investigation is ongoing.

"I don't have an explanationas to why these things happen," said Brister.

"I think that parents really have to show an abundance of caution if they're going to take their children to a playground area."

Brister said the syringe will likely be tested to determine if it contained any substances.

Dangerous items in playgrounds and parks

Ryan Bird, spokesperson for the Toronto District School Board, said syringes have been found in school playgrounds before.

"We do see this from time to time," he said.

Similar incidents of dangerous items in playgrounds have occurredover the past year.

In October, razor blades were found scattered in June Callwood Park nearLakeshore Boulevard and Bathurst Street, as well asLisgar Parknear Queen Street and Dufferin Street.

In September, a 15-month-old boy was rushed to hospitalafter ingesting a Valiumpill left at the top of a slide in Kensington Market's Bellevue Square Park.