OAKDALE, Calif. — Oakdale police have an important reminder for every parent before they send their kids out trick-or-treating this year: check your child's candy.
The reminder comes just one year after a man in Oakdale reported finding metal objects in his child's Halloween candy.
"A lot of the children, their candy got thrown out because parents were scared," said Officer Janeen Yates of the Oakdale Police Department.
It sparked panic across the community and gained national attention, so much so that Oakdale police held their own Halloween 2.0 event a few days later. They scanned every single piece of candy that went home with kids.
"It's the one night of the year where you get to dress up and be what you want to be and collect candy until your stomach hurts. Unfortunately, that was taken away from the children in the city of Oakdale... and the police department wanted to give back to them and give them a Halloween re-do," Yates said.
But back in May, after forensic testing, Oakdale police said it was all a hoax. Mathew Blackcloud, 32, who originally called it in, went to jail.
"More often than not, when we receive reports, or if any agency receives reports, it's just a hoax," Yates said. "But we still want to provide those safety tips to parents and children because we still have to take it seriously. We want to ensure that everyone has a safe and enjoyable Halloween."
So after your kids go trick-or-treating this year, police want to remind you, it is critical to check your kid's candy thoroughly, no matter what. Yates said to look through the pile of candy and observe every piece.
"Make sure that it doesn't appear tampered with, that it's been opened or anything's been ripped off. You want to feel [it], make sure that there's nothing hard in the candy."
Yates said it's essential to make sure the candy still looks and feels like it came straight from the manufacturer. She said anything that's been slightly opened or damaged should be thrown away.
"Overall, it ultimately comes down to the safety of your child," Yates said. "When you're going to give something to your child, you want to make sure it's safe for them to consume. You don't want any mishaps, especially when you're getting candy from other people."
The Oakdale Police Department said parents should follow these recommendations if their kids plan on trick-or-treating:
- adults should go with their kids on planned routes
- don't go into a house or a car with a stranger
- carry a flashlight or wear something reflective
- avoid unlit houses
- inspect their candy
- call the police if you see anything suspicious
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