Police in Texas have issued a public safety warning following multiple reports of sewing pins found inside Halloween candy.
The Santa Fe Police Department (SFPD) has issued a public safety warning following multiple reports of sewing pins found inside candy handed out during the city’s Homecoming Parade.
An initial statement mistakenly referred to ‘pen needles,’ but police have since corrected the error and confirmed that the objects found were sewing pins.
Officers visited at least three homes in the community last night and verified the presence of pins inserted into candy distributed during the city’s Parade.
Dispatchers also received additional reports from concerned parents across the parade route – from Centennial Oaks to Highway 6 and Warpath – all describing similar findings in candy brought home by children.
Jeremy Partin, a local father, has brought his family to the parade for years and said it’s a cherished tradition.
But he told Khou 11 that the festive mood this year changed as the evening went on. Partin’s 18-year-old daughter was going through the candy when she unwrapped a KitKat bar and found something alarming: a sewing pin lodged in the chocolate.
‘She told me, “Good thing I was the one who grabbed it – look at this,”‘ he said. ‘And sure enough, you could clearly see the pin sticking out of the bar.’
Police in Texas have issued a public safety warning following multiple reports of sewing pins found inside Halloween candy
He described the pin as being deliberately placed under the wrapper’s flap, making it appear like an intentional act.
‘This wasn’t some kind of fluke,’ Partin said. ‘Whoever did this meant to. It was done on purpose.’
He immediately alerted the police. At first, officers believed it might be an isolated case, but shortly after, they contacted Partin again to say they were getting similar reports from others.
‘There’s someone out there doing something really twisted,’ he said.
So far, Santa Fe police have not named any suspects. They’re advising anyone who attended the parade to go through their candy thoroughly and report any suspicious items.
When asked what he’d say to the person responsible, Partin didn’t hold back: ‘If it turns out to be an adult, I just wish I could have five minutes alone in a room with them.’
Despite the frightening discovery, Partin said his children still plan to go trick-or-treating this year – but with added caution.
Any candy they collect will be swapped out with treats he’s purchased himself to ensure their safety.
Santa Fe police continue to investigate the incident and are urging anyone with information to come forward.
Jeremy Partin, a local father (pictured), had brought his family to the parade for years and it’s a cherished tradition
SFPD has launched an investigation and may provide further updates as more information becomes available.
Anyone who discovers suspicious items or tampered candy is asked to contact the Santa Fe Police Department’s non-emergency line at 409-925-2000.
The FDA warns that hard or sharp foreign objects in food may cause traumatic injury including laceration and perforation of tissues of the mouth, tongue, throat, stomach and intestine as well as damage to the teeth and gums.
However, it notes that foreign objects that are less than 7 mm, maximum dimension, ‘rarely cause trauma or serious injury except in special risk groups such as infants, surgery patients, and the elderly’.
