A Portsmouth mother called police after discovering a small bag of white powder inside her home — raising serious concerns because the residence includes a child with special needs who receives in-home care.
According to the Portsmouth Police Department, the woman contacted 911 requesting an officer after finding the item.
When police arrived, she explained that her child requires home health services and a caregiver had been present in the home earlier in the day. When she returned home, both the caregiver and her child were there.
Shortly afterward, she discovered a small plastic bag tied off and filled with a white powdery substance. The woman told officers she first noticed it after seeing the family cat playing with the bag.
The mother told police no one in the household uses illegal narcotics and she feared the bag may have been left behind by the caregiver. Her biggest concern, she said, was the potential danger to her medically vulnerable child if the substance had been picked up or ingested.
Officers noted the substance appeared consistent with an illegal narcotic. However, because the bag was not found in anyone’s possession, no charges could be filed.
Police collected the bag as evidence and impounded it for destruction. The woman documented the discovery with photographs and told officers she plans to report the incident to the caregiver’s employer.
Why Situations Like This Are Especially Concerning
Families caring for children with disabilities often rely on outside caregivers who spend significant time inside the home. When something suspicious appears in that environment, it can create immediate safety concerns.
Small bags containing unknown substances can pose serious risks to:
- Children, who may pick them up out of curiosity
- Pets, which may chew or swallow them
- Medically vulnerable individuals, who may already have compromised health
Parents are encouraged to report concerns immediately to both law enforcement and the caregiving agency so the situation can be investigated.
For families caring for medically fragile children, even a small unknown item on the floor can represent a major safety risk.
SCDN will continue tracking incidents and safety concerns affecting local families across Portsmouth and Scioto County.
