Police in Marshfield, Massachusetts, are warning residents to inspect their Halloween candy after needles were found inside a 3-year-old trick-or-treater's haul.
Marshfield police said the child received two packages of Twizzlers Twists containing sewing needles on Wednesday night. Thursday evening, police said a third Twizzlers package containing a small piece of metal was also confirmed to have been picked up in the same area.
"Anything is possible at this point," Marshfield Police Chief Phil Tavares said. "We are investigating to figure out where exactly were the needles put into the candy."
Carol Keating, the grandmother of 3-year-old Ronan, said the family went trick-or-treating to about three dozen homes in the Brant Rock neighborhood of Marshfield. Keating said the boy's mother found the needles when she checked the candy upon returning home to Boston.
“I can’t believe this would happen,” Keating said.
Marshfield police are advising parents to throw away all Twizzlers and inspect all of their children's Halloween candy as a precaution. Anyone caught giving out contaminated candy that could cause injury can face up to five years behind bars.
In Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard, police said a nail had been found partially inside a mini Hershey's bar. The trick-or-treater's parent believes it may have been picked up on a side street off Vineyard Avenue. Anyone with information is asked to call Oak Bluffs Police.
Similar incidents have been reported in the last 24 hours involving sewing needles in a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup in Maine, a Twizzler in Texas, a Kit Kat in Florida, a Mounds in New York, a 3 Musketeers in New Mexico and a Gummy Life Savers candy in Tennessee. Officials haven't said if there could be any connection.
