2 MORE GROW-OP KIDS FOUND

The Problem Is Getting Bigger, Cops and Children's Aid Workers Fear

It's a list police don't like to see: Two days, two separate
marijuana grow operations and four children, including an infant.

On Tuesday, York officers raiding a Weldrick Rd. E. home in Richmond
Hill to dismantle a 450-plant operation handed over two girls -- a
12-year-old and an 11-month-old -- to the Children's Aid Society.

A day earlier, two boys -- aged 10 and 15 -- were also put under the
care of the York CAS after police dismantled a grow operation of
about 100 plants at a Simsonston Blvd. home in the Don Mills
Rd.-Steeles Ave. area.

NO SURPRISE

"You know what, unfortunately it's right in line with our
statistics," Det. Kory Keeping of York's vice and drugs unit said of
ratio of raids to children found in the homes so far this year. "It's
nice to get (the kids) out of that environment."

Many children are exposed to mould and airborne pesticides used to
battle bugs. Pesticides and fertilizers are also forced through the
house when the furnace turns the blower on to distribute heat or air,
he said. People in grow houses also face oxygen depletion, carbon
monoxide poisoning and the danger of electrical fires.

Last year, the drug unit raided 93 grow-ops and rescued 27 children.
In 2005, he said the unit raided 101 operations and found 32 children
in need of CAS protection while in 2004, 38 children were found
living in 132 grow-ops the unit dismantled.

So far this year, the drugs and vice unit has raided 10 grow-ops.

York Region CAS boss Martin MacNamara said the society gets more kids
in their care than those found by police. While police found four
kids so far, two others have also been referred to the CAS by
neighbours or teachers.

NUMBERS CLIMB

He said he's concerned that growers are becoming more sophisticated
and are able to avoid detection, and believes there is a growing
number of children exposed to the dangers of grow operations.

Children removed from grow-ops are sent to the Hospital for Sick
Children for an assessment and blood tests.

MacNamara said most of the children are eventually returned to their
parents and are supervised to ensure the children won't be exposed to
another grow-op.

"We want to make sure the children are okay," he said.

A man, 27, of Richmond Hill, was charged Tuesday with possession for
the purpose of trafficking, producing a controlled substance and
theft of electricity.