Boy aged four takes cocaine and $173 cash to Philadelphia school

A BOY, aged four, reportedly took eight bags of crack cocaine and $173 to a school.

The preschool boy was showing off the illegal drug and cash to classmates at the 300-pupil strong Thomas Mifflin Elementary School in East Falls, Philadelphia.

A classmate reported him to a classroom attendant at the school, which takes students from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade, CBS Philly reported.

When the boy was spoken to by the attendant, police stated that he reached into a pocket and gave her a small amount of what appeared to be drugs.

Police called in found that the boy had eight zip-lock bags containing crack cocaine. He refused to say where it came from or why he had it in his possession.

The boy was taken to St. Christopher's Hospital for Children for evaluation and police are still trying to find his parents and have executed a search warrant. The school was also searched by police but nothing illegal was found.

Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Cynthia Dorsey said young children had brought drugs to school before, but the four-year-old may be the youngest.

"He saw that big amount of money, and he knew something was wrong," said Chief Inspector Dorsey, in praise of the school attendant.

"I'm going to make sure we do some education, some awareness, maybe bring D.A.R.E. to the school to make sure that kids know this is bad, and if they see it, that they should not touch it," Dorsey said, referring to illegal drugs. "They should get an adult, tell an adult. That's what that other student did."

A parent who picked up her daughter after the incident, described it as "upsetting."

"I'm shocked a kid was able to bring drugs into school," Jennifer Gallagher told The Philadelphia Inquirer.

School District of Philadelphia spokesman Feando Gallard said: "A child of that age who is in a place where he has access to that is a victim as much as anything else."