LORD NEVER'S CRYPT OF CHAOS

One of the most common legends of Halloween is the oft-repeated warning that there might be poison or razor-blades lurking in your little one’s treats, presumably put there by some sadistic nutjob. Some people take it a step further and blame it on witches or cults, writing tracts full of lies about the origins of Halloween to malign Wiccans. Of the most enduring and widespread poisoning legends, one tells the story of a young boy named Timothy O’Brien. The boy had been out trick-or-treating with his father and, upon arriving home, ate a pixie stick that was laced with cyanide, leading to his death. However, in reality it turned out that O’Brien’s father had a life insurance policy on his young son, and he was convicted of poisoning the child himself and using the urban legends to cover it up.
Another story tells of a five-year-old who died of a heroin overdose after eating tainted candy. As usual the media decided to start the hype machine before all of the facts were in. It turned out that the child had gotten into his uncle’s heroin stash and the candy had never been tainted in the first place. That’s not to say caution is a bad thing. Hypothetically, something could be put in your bag of treats, but there really isn’t any evidence of people trying to poison random children.
However, there is a very real danger on Halloween night that parents should definitely watch out for. According to AAA, Halloween is the most dangerous night of the year for pedestrians. The combination of children running around in costumes, along with drunk drivers on the road, creates a perfect storm. It is suggested that parents accompany kids if possible, make sure they are visible, and coach them on road safety.