Police: Father sold meth out of stroller with two kids in tow



SEATTLE -- Drug deals are nothing new at Cal Anderson Park in Capitol Hill but a father dealing drugs with his two children in tow takes it to another level.

The city has increased security at the park but residents say the park is still too dangerous.

“I feel like the activity that has come to the park has kind of come to a heinous level,” Yolt Kilgore said.

Most recently a man was busted for dealing meth out of a stroller carrying his 1- and 2-year-old children.

“Wow, when people are getting creative, how do you combat that?” Grant Hanson said. "That's terrible."

Seattle Police allege Paul Asher tried to sell meth to an undercover cop.  The father of two allegedly had about 8 grams of meth in the stroller with his kids.

“That was pretty stupid,” Alexander Allen said.

Allen says he used to bring his son to the park's playground all the time until the criminal element at the park got really bad.

“They have needles out here on the floor - all these drug addicts and stuff out here,” Allen said. "This is crazy."

“We’ve had several stabbings in this park - assaults, rapes,” Aaron Morrison said.

The park is also packed with transients with nowhere to go.

Aaron Morrison with Lifelong Aids Alliance is trying to reach out to homeless youth afraid they will fall victim to the same fate.

“I’m very worried,” Kilgore said. "I’m a little scared for them. Where do you send them?"

The group says the community has given up on cleaning up the Capitol Hill landmark.

“This used to be a homey place you could bring your kids to the park,” Kilgore said. "As you can see there are no kids here."

Last summer, the city hired more park rangers to help deter crime. Those rangers now visit the park up to 15 times a day. But neighbors say it hasn't helped much.

“They say never carry a backpack in this area you know that usually means you have a laptop and you will get mugged,” resident Anna Christopherson said. "It is just a shady area don’t walk here at night."

Asher has been previously convicted of selling meth.