Advertisement

Paramedics 'Provided Life-Saving Measures' After Baby Exposed to Fentanyl at San Francisco Park

Moscone Recreation Center in San Francisco
Moscone Recreation Center in San Francisco

Wikimedia Moscone Recreation Center

Authorities are investigating after a 10-month-old boy was exposed to fentanyl at Moscone Park in San Francisco earlier this week.

Shortly before 3:00 p.m. local time on Tuesday, the San Francisco Fire Department responded to a call "for a pediatric patient in cardiac arrest," a spokesperson said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE.

"San Francisco Fire and Paramedics arrived on scene in 2 minutes, provided life-saving measures and revived the patient, who was transported to a local emergency room and is recovering," the spokesperson added.

Both the Fire Department and the San Francisco Police Department have confirmed "that there was a Fentanyl exposure," but have not said if that was the cause of the medical emergency.

RELATED: Thailand Temple Now Vacant After All 4 Monks Reportedly Test Positive for Drugs

Police, who met with a parent at the hospital, say the child was being watched by a babysitter when the incident took place.

"The San Francisco Fire Department responded to the scene and transported the child to the hospital for a life-threatening emergency," the police department said in a separate statement, adding that the cause is still under investigation.

"Investigating officers conducted a search of the park area later that night looking for a potential source of exposure, but the search did not locate any evidence of drugs and/or drug paraphernalia," police added.

The San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department also confirmed that "no drugs were found in the park during a search."

RELATED VIDEO: As the Death Rate in the Opioid Epidemic Climbs Meet 2 People Tragically Touched by the Drug Fentanyl in Very Different Ways

In a social media post, the child's parent said the 10-month-old was given Narcan, a medicine that reverses opioid overdoses, according to The San Francisco Chronicle and ABC station KGO-TV.

The child's father told SFist that he wasn't exactly sure how the exposure took place, but that it occurred "while he was playing in the grass."

A Twitter account for San Francisco Firefighters Local 798 acknowledged the incident the following day.

"We are happy that we were able to respond quickly and assist this family. We need to keep our children safe," read the post. "This doesn't just impact this family, it impacts us all."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free weekly newsletter to get the biggest news of the week delivered to your inbox every Friday.

In a statement obtained by PEOPLE, the Recreation & Parks Department said that custodial crews "attend to the children's play areas and restrooms" at Moscone Park at least three times a day.

Additionally, a gardener is there six days a week and helps pick up litter.

RELATED: Teen Dies, 3 Others Rescued After Falling Through Ice of a Frozen Lake in Colorado: 'It's Not Safe'

Catherine Stefani, a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, said on social media that "patrols will be stepped up in the area" and that the local park officials are "on alert."

"I'm very grateful that our @SFFDPIO and EMTs arrived quickly and took immediate action to save this child's life," Stefani wrote. "This situation remains under investigation but incidents like this cannot continue."

"This incident should be a tipping point," fellow Supervisor Hillary Ronen wrote in a separate message. "I am truly horrified by this."