A recovering heroin addict has warned parents to wipe down public baby changing tables before using them because they could contain harmful substances or fluids from drug addicts who use them to “shoot up”.
Jessica Wayman, from Indiana, USA and a mother herself, posted a warning message on Facebook about black marks that parents may find on baby changing tabes, which has since been shared more than 136,000 times.
Posting an image of a table with visible black marks on it, Wayman said: “PSA: Before putting your babies anywhere near these things, always wipe them down first. Even if you’re in a hurry, even if you have a blanket to lay down.
“See the black marks? Those are from burnt spoons. Addicts use these tables while they shoot up. There could be residue from heroin/meth whatever, and other harmful bodily fluids,” she wrote.
Wayman later updated the post once it started attracting attention, explaining that she is a recovering addict herself, which is why she decided to write the post “to warn unsuspecting parents who would lever think [of] something like this when looking at a changing table”.
She said the changing stations in single person bathrooms and disabled toilets are often used by drug addicts, and added: “If someone doesn’t care about themselves, I can promise you, they aren’t thinking about your kids. Be cautious”.