Pittsburg man drugged his young daughter to steal her blood as she slept, police say

PITTSBURG — Police here arrested a 36-year-old man and took custody of his three young children after a school counselor reported that he had drugged his eldest daughter, then placed a needle into her arm to take her blood.

When police responded to the shocking report on Feb. 3, authorities say they immediately found a disturbing sign the allegations were true: one young child slurring his speech and appearing lethargic, while another was unconscious in the middle of the day, and didn’t immediately respond to stimuli.

All three victims were younger than 11. This news organization is not naming the Pittsburg father to protect their identity.

The investigation started when a counselor at a local elementary school noticed obvious signs of child abuse on one of the children and notified police and Contra Costa Child Family Services, who responded to the man’s Crestview Drive home, authorities said. The man allegedly resisted arrested but was detained by several officers, on suspicion of child abuse and possessing an eighth of an ounce of methamphetamine, according to the arrest records.

One of the children later told authorities that the father had stuck needles in her arm as she slept on two occasions, using a vial to draw blood, according to police. She added that he would mash up an unknown substance and stick in the children’s food or drinks, causing lethargy, authorities said.

The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office has not yet filed charges, and the man was released from jail, court records show. The arrest record says he has two prior drug convictions.

Police say the house was unfit for children. Besides the alleged blood draws, the home was full of moldy food, random trash and smelled like urine, police say.