Child rights advocates warn that reports of drug-poisoned teenagers are on the rise.
More about this in TV3 news.
Puskelnii village near Marijampolė was shocked. On Sunday, doctors rushed two residents of this village – 14 and 15-year-old teenagers – from their homes to the hospital. The children were poisoned by drugs.
“A 15-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl who were possibly poisoned by narcotic or psychotropic substances were brought to Marijampole hospital and admitted. The circumstances of the incident are being explained,” Marijampole County Police representative Gintarė Navickaitė comments on the incident.
The condition of the children is stabilized
Children’s rights defenders have been informed about teenagers poisoned by drugs. The teenagers were in the hands of Marijampolė doctors already in serious condition. Fortunately, doctors managed to stabilize the condition of the children.
“Our colleagues, defenders of children’s rights, are currently waiting to be able to communicate with the children themselves. Of course, the priority right now is their health. And as soon as the doctors allow it, when it is safe, our specialists will talk with the children themselves, in order to assess the situation and offer the families the services they need,” says Ugnė Klingerė, a representative of the Child Rights Protection Service.
The residents of Pužennii say that the village is very quiet, there was little crime there, the police usually appeared on weekends, when young people went to the nearby gardens to have fun. So the news about drug-poisoned teenagers really shocked them:
“I can see from the radio and television that they are also used in schools. Literally, a big problem.”
“Drugs, you know, money. Everything is determined by money – take risks, take risks. And buyers, especially among young people, will definitely appear.”
“I think it is necessary to talk a lot from the little ones, I think so. Everyone needs to pay attention to that little man.”
Similar messages are increasing
Selling drugs to minors is punishable by 3 to 12 years in prison.
For the time being, the representative of the Marijampolė County Police cannot reveal information about what drugs poisoned the teenagers. This could prejudice the pre-trial investigation.
Children’s rights defenders say that in recent years, their service has received more and more reports of drug-poisoned teenagers. This is reported from hospitals, schools, and parents themselves call.
“We also receive and hear reports of this kind from our partners – the police, that such cases are definitely increasing. And we really see, and we think that this problem is very important, it is necessary to talk about it”, – assures the representative of the child rights protection service, Ugnė Klingerė.
Last autumn, a 17-year-old teenager died in Marijampole hospital after taking drugs. According to law enforcement, the young people bought the drugs in Kaunas. The suspects were arrested a few months later.
Learn more about it in the video report at the top of the article.
