Tony Payton comes to aid of teen high on drugs

From his office yesterday afternoon, State Rep. Tony Payton Jr. heard the sounds of a metal gate and a staffer alerting him to a commotion outside.

Payton discovered the source: a 16-year-old girl, high on what turned out to be PCP, banging her head on the metal gate outside a medical supply store. Payton helped carry the teen into his office where he asked her friend questions about what the girl had taken.

Despite reports the teen had consumed an alcohol-energy drink concoction, Payton’s staff determined the situation was more serious when the teen began screaming and threatening suicide. Payton and a man who was in the office to fix the copy machine helped calm the girl down until medical help arrived.

“We see a lot of drug addiction in this office,” Chief of Staff Jorge Santana said of the 4909 Frankford Ave. address in the 179th District. “This was really an emotional thing.”

A staffer called 911, and the girl was transported to the hospital. Her friend fled, leaving behind a bag of PCP

“It’s unfortunate that young people are experimenting with drugs at such an early age, particularly with ones that are so mind altering,” Payton told NEast Philly. “We hope she gets some help and we also hope that her parents have a talk with. We’d certainly be willing to facilitate that.”