CHILD IN PROVINCIAL CARE AFTER OVERDOSE

Boy, 8, May Have Pricked Himself With Heroin-Filled Needle

SURREY - An eight-year-old boy who suffered a drug overdose Monday
has been taken into provincial protective care, police said Wednesday.

The boy was found unresponsive by paramedics around 11 a.m. in the
Barclay Arms housing complex in the 1600-block of Martin Drive in south Surrey.

"It's suggested the child overdosed on an opiate," Sgt. Jean Hamm of
the Surrey RCMP said.

Investigators originally believed the boy had pricked himself with a
heroin-filled needle in his single mother's ground-floor apartment.
But Hamm said now they're not sure which drug or how much of it was involved.

"Chemically, we don't know what the substance was or if it was
injected," he added, noting that generally "children may copy adult
behaviour they see."

The boy was released from Peace Arch Hospital and was "doing fine" in
care, Hamm said.

Yolanda Semancik was on her second-floor balcony Monday when three
police cars and a fire truck pulled up in front of the quiet apartment complex.

"It was a madhouse here," the 84-year-old said. "The police were
inside that woman's apartment for more than an hour."

Semancik watched as a small dark-haired boy was carried out on a
stretcher by paramedics.

"He was just lying there, not even his eyes were open," she said.
"His arm was just hanging out [over the side]."

Later, Semancik saw the boy's blond-haired mother escorted to a
police cruiser. She was not identified by police, but neighbours said
her name is Barbara.

"She was a large woman and had crutches that went up to her elbow,"
Semancik said. "She had a hard time walking and she just stood there
for a bit, then slid into the car."

A neighbour said the woman and her son moved into the building
sometime in the last year.

"She kept to herself. I never saw her go out and I didn't even see
the little boy before," Semancik said.

Police said no charges have been laid.

The Ministry for Children and Family Development refused to discuss
specifics of the case.

"What I can say is that the ministry examines every child protection
issue that comes to our attention," spokeswoman Karen Murry said.
"Whenever the RCMP is investigating something like this, we fully
cooperate with them because we have a broad mandate to protect children."

The ministry investigates 30,000 cases a year.

A woman named Terry who identified herself as the manager of the
three-storey complex told The Vancouver Sun she didn't know of any
drug problems in the building.

"I know nothing of that. I have no knowledge of drugs anywhere in the
building," she said. "We were never told exactly what happened with the boy."

Ruth Markley has lived on the ground level of Barclay Arms for 23 years.

She was shocked to hear that a child so young had apparently fallen
victim to drugs.

"I feel safe here but there's been more young people and young
families now more than ever," she said. "They come and go often."

Markley remembers there were fewer problems when the building was a
seniors-only residence. Now, break-ins in the underground parking lot
are common, she said.

"I'm glad to hear the child is okay now but I still can't imagine
this happening here," she said. "Where would he have gotten the drugs from?"

Lindsay Orenchuck regularly drops off her two young children at her
mother's Martin Drive apartment while she's at school.

She held onto her five-year-old daughter after finding out what
happened steps away from where her kids play every day.

"It's horrible, horrible news. I usually don't see a lot of kids
around," she said. "Luckily I've never had any problems with anyone here."