The organizer of an Easter egg hunt in Nanaimo is scrambling for answers after eggs packed with pills and an obscene note turned the event into “a nightmare.”
The egg hunt, hosted yearly by Vancouver Island Rockhounds group moderator Lucas Cunningham, took place the morning of Sunday, April 10th, at Maffeo Sutton Park downtown.
Cunningham says around 40 participants showed up with Easter baskets in hand.
But he was left shocked after some families approached him, saying one egg had a note reading “F— You A–hole!!!” stuffed inside, while two other eggs had seeds, kernels and Apo Prednisone (APO – 50) tablets inside.
Health experts say the medication treats allergic reactions, some skin conditions, severe asthma and arthritis, but should be stored away from children.
“When I hid my eggs, I didn’t see any,” Cunningham told Victoria Buzz.
“But when people were doing the hunt, they brought them to me. They were very distinctly different from mine—they were metallic in colour.”
Cunningham called Nanaimo RCMP right away.
“For these eggs to be found in the same area where I was holding my hunt, it’s really suspicious. Police are investigating it right now,” he said Tuesday.
It’s an ordeal that left Cunningham shaken, especially because he has three younger brothers and can relate to parents’ fears.
He says the discoveries spurred an “all-around bad scene” as “a little kid could have gotten ahold of one of them and ate what was inside.”
“It just goes to show that you really need to be careful in public areas. I know downtown Nanaimo is a rough patch, but that’s just horrifying,” added Cunningham.
