Pain at the Playground: Monkey Bars & Razor Blades

Atlanta (HLN) A two-year old on his dad’s shoulders with hands on the monkey bars at a local park.

Innocence.

But in East Moline, Illinois, that serenity was shattered by a booby-trapping thug who thought it would be a good idea to glue razor blades to the playground equipment.

The straight edges were pointed straight up and that toddler’s fingers were no match.

The boy’s mom told our affiliate WQAD, “He said, ‘Ouch.’ (Dad) put him down. He started bleeding and we looked and they were everywhere. The razor blades were everywhere.”

About a dozen of them strategically placed with one purpose – to hurt kids.

“However long it would take to place all those, I feel like that’s pretty sick, psychotic in a way.” Dad told WQAD.

The toddler’s cut has healed. His spirits have mended, too.

But police want answers. They’ve collected evidence, tried to get fingerprints and are working some leads. They’ve inspected other parks in the area and feel that this was an isolated case. So far, no arrests.

A lineman for the Philadelphia Eagles, who lives in nearby Davenport, Iowa, has even put up a $1,000 bounty to help catch the hoodlum(s) responsible.

“I don’t know why they would think about hurting children,” the toddler’s mom said. “Why would that be something to come into your mind, to put razor blades at a children’s park?”

Written and produced by: Ben Bamsey for HLN’s “Now: On the Case.”