:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/bowl-of-candy-102025-9af7019c69a648b394515333ba5aa06d.jpg)
NEED TO KNOW
- Police are investigating after parents reported finding sewing needles in candy passed out during a homecoming event for the Santa Fe Independent School District in Santa Fe, Texas
- The candy went to at least three different homes, per the Santa Fe Police Department
- Police have warned parents in the area to inspect all candy passed out at the event
Police have issued a warning after candy with sewing needles was passed out to children at a homecoming event for the Santa Fe Independent School District in Santa Fe, Texas.
The Santa Fe Police Department confirmed that the candy went to at least three different homes after being passed out at a parade, according to a statement shared on social media on Oct. 16.
“Dispatch also received calls from other parents in the community advising that they found pins in candy brought home,” the SFPD said, adding that it “strongly encourages everyone to thoroughly check any candy picked up from the parade today.”
Police said in a previous statement that “the parents were in different areas along the parade route, ranging from Centennial Oaks to Highway 6 and Warpath.”
No injuries were reported, and the SFPD is investigating the incident based on the physical evidence they were presented by parents, per KHOU 11. Jeremy Partin, a Santa Fe ISD parent, was first to report one of the incidents, per the outlet. His family frequently attends the parade each year and watches from the beginning of the route.
Once home, Partin’s daughter, 18, reportedly opened a KitKat bar from her younger sibling’s bag and found a sewing pin stuck inside.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“She’s like, ‘Well, I’m glad I did grab it, because look at this,’ ” Partin told the outlet. “There it is, clear as day—a needle coming right out of the chocolate. This was no accident. They stuck it right in. This was deliberate,” he said.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises parents to “Tell children not to accept – and especially not to eat – anything that isn’t commercially wrapped. Inspect commercially wrapped treats for signs of tampering, such as an unusual appearance or discoloration, tiny pinholes, or tears in wrappers. Throw away anything that looks suspicious.”
The case remains an open investigation with the SFPD at this time. 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.
PEOPLE has reached out to the SFPD for comment.