Mum's disturbing find in son's second-hand Xbox game

NZ Herald

22 Jan, 2020 09:22 PM2 mins to read

Bianca Emmerson was mortified to see pills in her seven-year-old's hand. Photos / Bianca Emmerson

An Australian mum has warned other shoppers to be vigilant when buying second-hand games after her young son found a bag in pills inside an Xbox case they bought from EB Games.

When Bianca Emmerson and her 7-year-old son Carter arrived home from a Queensland mall, she was shocked that her son discovered five pills sealed inside a plastic bag in his $2 purchase.

Bianca Emmerson was mortified to see pills in her seven-year-old's hand. Photos / Bianca Emmerson

Emmerson told Yahoo News that she was relieved her son found the packet under the Fifa 14 game booklet and handed it over, as her other son, who is 14-months-old, usually plays with the cases while on the floor.

"I'm glad that he found it because it could have been a bad ending," she said.

Despite the dangerous threat of her children potentially consuming these pills, she did not hold the retailer responsible.

She instead warned shoppers to be vigilant when shopping for their kids, especially when it comes to buying second-hand products.

"I was just shocked that it could have been in anything pre-owned or used, which made me think, because I also op-shop a lot," she said.

"There were drugs in my 7-year-old's hand and that should never have happened."

Initial investigations had indicated the pills were over-the-counter medication. Photo / Bianca Emmerson

Emmerson said she ended up having a difficult conversation with her son Carter, who originally thought the pills were seed they could plant in the garden.

"I was just trying to explain that they're drugs, people take them, and they make nightmares come true," she said.

She reported her discovery to police and delivered the drugs to officers at the Redcliffe Police Station.

A Queensland Police spokesperson told Yahoo News Australia that preliminary investigations had indicated the pills found inside the case appeared to be over-the-counter medication.

Yahoo News Australia has contacted EB Games for comment.