Man Arrested After 5-Year-Old Son Brings Heroine To School, Plastic Bag Was Stamped With Spider-Man

A Massachusetts man was arrested Thursday after his son brought a small bag of heroine stamped with Spider-Man to school.

The child, who is 5 years old, reportedly told his teachers at Lawrence Elementary School in Holyoke, Massachusetts, that the drug made him “feel like Spider-Man” when he puts it in his mouth. The bag appeared to be decorated with images of the Marvel superhero. The kindergarten student allegedly said that he had taken the bags from his home's living room.

Benny Garcia, the father of the boy, was arrested after the school’s principal called the police. The boy was taken to the hospital as a precaution, even though it appeared that he had not taken any of the drugs that day and authorities agreed that he had not eaten any.

“The principal, Cathy Hourihan, did a super job handling this,” Police Lt. James Albert said about the case.

Garcia, 29, was asleep at his home when police arrived to take him in. Among his possessions were found 70 bags of heroin and 38 bags of cocaine. He had a prior outstanding warrant for drug possession that is being included alongside his new charges.

Garcia, who was arraigned Friday on charges of drug possession and reckless endangerment of a child, has a court appearance on Nov. 20.

The 5-year-old boy and an infant who were at Garcia’s home are now being held by child protective services. Authorities are currently unclear if the boy’s mother was aware that he was being given the drug.