A Scranton man who allegedly overdosed on heroin while watching a 3-year-old for a friend Friday is facing criminal charges after police and fire officials forced their way into the apartment, city police said.
Lawrence Cerato, 42, 424 Wyoming Ave., Apt. 108, was left in charge of the child while the child's grandfather, Theodore Price, left Mr. Cerato's apartment for 10 to 15 minutes, according to the affidavit of probable cause.
When he returned, he could not get back into the apartment and called police. Responders had to force their way into the apartment.
After returning the child to Mr. Price, ambulance crews helped Mr. Cerato, who was nonresponsive and "gray," according to the criminal complaint.
As Community Life Support Ambulance personnel treated Mr. Cerato, city Patrolman Robert Stelmak noticed a leather belt and a syringe on the bathroom floor where he had lain. On the toilet seat were two wax-paper bags possibly containing heroin, one empty bag, a spoon and a cup of water.
"The bags are a common form of heroin packaging, and the spoon and water is commonly used to prepare the heroin for injecting into the bloodstream," Patrolman Stelmak wrote in his report.
Mr. Cerato was taken to Regional Hospital of Scranton for heroin overdose treatment, police said. He is being held in Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $10,000 bail on charges of possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and endangering the welfare of children.
His preliminary hearing is set for Tuesday, Sept. 4.
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