Penticton mom concerned open drug use put her child in danger

PENTICTON – Penticton mom Meghan Sidorchuk is concerned that her daughter was put in harm's way because of the citywide issue of public drug use.

Sidorchuk’s 13-year-old daughter believed she saw someone shooting up in the pedestrian underpass for Skaha Lake Road Saturday, June 1, so to access the beach she crossed the busy road instead. She was struck by a car doing 60 kilometres an hour.

“She’s in pain, but she’s alive. She’s moving around like a champ. The doctor said the only reason she’s not more injured is because she chose to jump before being hit… the majority of the impact got her in the hip rather than abdomen and chest,” Sidorchuk said.

“All this because she was scared of the ‘junkie’ under the bridge. A decision to cross the highway instead of going under the underpass nearly cost my daughter her life,” Sidorchuk wrote in an email.

She’s hopeful the City of Penticton will hear her daughter’s story as they continue to assess and address the city’s drug use issues.

“To everyone who helped on scene, the staff at the hospital to everyone off the scene with all their support, kind words, thoughts and prayers she’s been receiving, thank you. She is one lucky kid to have all this love surround her,” Sidorchuk said.

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