Syringe found in baby change room

An Albany mother was left shocked after her toddler found a used syringe in a box of children’s books inside the baby change room at Albany Plaza.

The mother, who did not want to be named, was breastfeeding her three-month-old son when her four-year-old daughter picked up the used syringe from underneath a book inside the toilet and rooms designed for parents and children.

The mother said her daughter turned around with it in her hand.

“I heard her say ‘look Mum, a lolly’ and I noticed it was a used needle and that’s when I screamed for her to drop it,” she said.

“They had obviously tried to hide it as well because it was under the first book she picked up.

“Next to the needle was a tissue with blood on that — I put it in the bin holding a paper cloth then washed my hands.

“It makes me so angry someone can have so little care about kids.”

The mother immediately told management, with security promptly removing the syringe.

“They were really good though, but I think those toilets should be more closely monitored,” she said.

“(The act of leaving a syringe) is just the lowest of lows.” A spokeswoman for the shopping centre owner, Charter Hall, said Albany Plaza aimed to provide a safe, convenient and enjoyable shopping experience for the community at all times.

“Like the community and our shoppers, we are disappointed that a small number of people use the facilities provided irresponsibly,” they said.

“We ask that anyone who identifies a potential hazard to immediately notify centre management to ensure that we can continue to provide a great shopper experience at Albany Plaza.”