Teen girl hospitalized after night on the town

A thirteen-year-old girl was taken to hospital by her father after she consumed alcohol and had a firecracker accident at a public park in Limassol.

According to police, the 13-year-old girl was out on the town on Saturday, in Limassol, with two female friends, when the girls were approached at a local park by male youths. The girl then went to a mini market and managed to buy a bottle of vodka.

Police said the clerk at the cash register later told officers she remembered the young customer, who told him she was 18 years old. When he asked for ID, as he reportedly told investigators, the girl just left the money on the counter and walked out with the booze.

Later in the night, around 11pm, she was taken to a private clinic by her father, who feared his daughter had consumed alcohol and had a burn injury on her chest.

The father, described as a foreign national, later contacted police who rushed to the clinic. The girl told investigators that some boys were lighting fireworks and she ended up with the injury on her chest by accident.

Shopkeepers are forbidden by law to sell alcohol to underage persons. A current government-sponsored bill, that would outlaw drinking in public, is also in the works.

While firecrackers and sparklers have been traditionally used during Easter celebrations, officials say all types of firecrackers are illegal. 

Many teenagers all over the Republic of Cyprus participate in illegal activities during the weeks leading up to Easter Sunday, with lighting fires in church yards and using illegal firecrackers and fireworks in public parks, schools, and residential areas.

Local authorities have often been criticized for not doing enough to ensure the safety and peace of mind among residents. Police said last year they will act and respond to legitimate complaints that deal with public safety and upholding the law.