Arrest in 2nd grade heroin case
Robert Parks, 35, of the 1700 block of South Taylor Street, Philadelphia was arrested by city police this afternoon after his young son brought packets of heroin to school yesterday.
Robert Parks, 35, of the 1700 block of South Taylor Street, Philadelphia was arrested by city police this afternoon after his young son brought packets of heroin to school yesterday.
Parks was charged with possession of narcotics, endangering the welfare of a child, and reckless endangerment of another person, according to police.
Philadelphia Police Lt. Frank Vanore said, "I don't think he cooperated with the investigation. He didn't tell us where he got the drugs from.
Vanore said police interviewed teachers and several students at the Delaplaine McDaniel Elementary School in South Philadelphia and determined that Parks' son was the student that brought the heroin to school.
A gym teacher observed five second grade boys, including Parks' son, passing around the heroin packets during gym class about 10:30 a.m. yesterday morning. The boys told police they thought it was candy. One youth tasted the drug and spit it out at school, police said.
The five were taken to Childrens Hospital for observation and later released.
Parks' son and an unknown number of other siblings have been now been placed by the Department of Human Services in the custody of a maternal aunt, Vanore said.
Vanore said, "Police pretty much zeroed in that his (Parks') son, one of the children, brought the narcotics to school. Based on the interviews they did, police determined probable cause that the narcotics came from Mr. Parks."
Parks is being processed at South Detective Division Headquarters at 24th and Wolf Streets. A hearing date is set for February 24.
Vanore did not know if the five boys were back at school today.























