Augusta, GA

12 on Your Side Investigates: Unsafe medical waste dumped in Augusta

Published

8 months ago

July 18, 2025

12 on Your Side Investigates: Unsafe medical waste dumped in Augusta

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – We have a safety alert about some dangerous medical waste.

When a News 12 viewer found a pile of needles and even some vials of blood, he was worried kids in a nearby neighborhood might find it, too.

When he reached out to the News 12 on Your Side Investigators, we went to work.

We met him at the site just steps from the Pine College campus and in the heart of the Laney-Walker Neighborhood.

Nestled in the bushes, we saw a nest of needles and other used medical materials.

Old and hazardous medical waste was discovered in an Augusta lot.(Contributed)

Vials of what looked like blood, syringes and IV tubing were tangled in a mound, posing potential dangers.

“Anthony” did not want us to show you his face, but he wanted to show you what he stumbles across while taking a shortcut to the store.

“I didn’t want no kid to walk up on it and get poked by it,” Anthony said.

When we expanded our search just beyond that pile, we found more than just needles and vials of blood. In a separate location, we discovered other medical debris, including X-rays and tattered parts of charts revealing personal patient information.

One document referenced treatment for back pain and included a patient’s name.

Used needles and biological materials like blood are considered biohazardous waste, capable of spreading infections such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Georgia law mandates strict procedures for safely disposing of such waste and even includes protections for animals.

We contacted the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office to report the discovery. Within minutes, two deputies arrived and began documenting and collecting the hazardous materials, wearing protective gloves and activating their body cameras for transparency.

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“There’s a lot here,” one deputy remarked. “We’ll collect as much as we can, and our narcotics office has a way of disposing of stuff like this.”

Deputies also accompanied us to the second nearby site, where additional needles and medical waste, including a nasal Narcan spray and what appeared to be a broken thermometer, were found in plain view.

Old medical waste in an Augusta lot posed a serious hazard.(Contributed)

Most of the shreds of medical documents we recovered appeared to be decades old, with some dated as far back as the late 1990s. The only identifier was a reference to a hospital in Barnwell that shut its doors in 2016.

Despite the medical records and vials of blood, deputies didn’t seem to think it was a traditional illegal dumping site. Instead, it may have been someone rifling through stolen medical supplies, possibly looking for drugs, and abandoning what they didn’t need.

Thanks to Anthony’s report and a rapid response from law enforcement, all the waste was carefully removed and properly disposed of.

“It’s just crazy how much there is,” one deputy said on body cam while collecting the final items.

Anthony said his conscience wouldn’t let him walk past the dangerous debris without taking action.

“I’m not gonna walk by it,” he said. “It’s just not right.”

What to do if you find medical waste

If you ever come across medical waste like syringes, vials, or medical records in a public area, don’t touch it. Contact local law enforcement immediately. Those agencies have the tools and training to handle and dispose of it safely.

As for the personal information we uncovered, News 12 is in the process of trying to reach those affected. The records appear to be old, and there were only a few, but like the rest of the materials, they’ve now been securely disposed of.

This story serves as a powerful reminder: One person speaking up can help protect an entire community.

If you see something dangerous, say something.

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Augusta, GA

Women’s Healthy and Beauty Expo in Augusta celebrates Women’s History Month

Published

7 hours ago

March 8, 2026

Press Room

Women’s Healthy and Beauty Expo in Augusta celebrates Women’s History Month

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Cher’s Sisters Only Club hosted a CSRA women’s health and beauty expo in Augusta to celebrate women’s history month.

The event took place at the Julian Smith Casino on Broad Street, where there was a fashion show, vendors, community engagement and some wellness resources.

“We had CrossFit, we had Fit to Run, we have some other vendors that has like branding wellness type products and things like that, but as a whole, we had 42 vendors that have enjoyed, and the people that come out have seemed to enjoy it too,” Vonteice Davis and Cher Best of Cher’s Sisters Only Club.

The Augusta Parks and Recreation partnered with the club for Sunday’s event.

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Augusta, GA

Augusta teen summit focuses on deterring crime and gang ties

Published

19 hours ago

March 8, 2026

Press Room

Augusta teen summit focuses on deterring crime and gang ties

AUGUSTA, Ga (WJBF)- Saturday afternoon local leaders in Richmond County held a Community Teen Summit and Youth Forum at May Park Community Center to combat the rise in teen violence.

“We wanted to bring in some of the young adults in our community to a safe place where they can utilize their voice. They can be heard,” said Cheryl Bryant, one of the event coordinators.

The forum was centered on reaching teens who may be at risk of joining gangs or other criminal behaviors.

“We see so much happening with our youth. We’ve seen it in the news. I see it in our courtrooms, whether I’m representing the youth or if I’ve seen a youth before me, and if there’s any information I can share that can protect them from coming into the court system, whether it’s for a criminal charge or for some other reason, I like to do that,” said Katrell Nash, a Juvenile Attorney and Judge.

The event featured community leaders like Sheriff Eugene Brantley and included panel speakers and other vendors designed to support local youth.

“We’re here to let the youth know that there are resources in the community for them. There’s job opportunities. There is mentoring. We’ve got gang mentors,” explained Stephanie Allen, the Public Education Specialist for the Augusta Fire Department.

A recurring theme of the event was “It Takes a Village.” Community members said it is important to show up for youth who may be struggling and help them make better life choices.

“We just want them to know that they’re not alone and that whatever their struggles are, whatever they’re going through– cyber bullying, peer bullying, feel like they don’t have the support at home, that they can reach out to community members and that we’re here to help them. All they have to do is ask,” Allen said.

“That they feel as if we care and we want to help and that they know that there are things in place for them to get help,” added Sheriff Eugene Brantley.

The summit was well attended with between 100 and 200 people. Leaders said it made them hopeful that more of Richmond County’s youth will turn from violence and crime and walk a better path.

“I love to see that children are engaged, that they want to know more about their rights. They want to know more about what the law says, as well as what they should do in these situations. It makes me very optimistic about their futures and the future of our community at large,” Nash explained.

“I think it’s going to like open them up to other opportunities. And I hope that they go back to school on Monday and tell their peers what they learned here today,” said Allen.

“Hopefully the kids and the youth who are here will engage with the sponsors and the mentors that are here, and hopefully they’ll learn and make better choices and make better decisions. And learn to respond instead of react to things,” said Sheriff Brantley.

Organizers are hoping the teen summit will become an annual event.

Photojournalist: Avery Van Dusen.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJBF.

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Augusta, GA

Augusta church hosts 12th annual storybook brunch

Published

1 day ago

March 7, 2026

Press Room

Augusta church hosts 12th annual storybook brunch

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A fundraiser to help give back to pediatric burn patients was held in Augusta on Saturday.

The 12th annual storybook brunch took place at the First Baptist Church of Augusta, and several storybook characters attended.

Steve Chalker, who is the chief operating officer of the Burn Foundation of America, spoke about how this event helps.

“It just helps raise funds for direct patient services we provide every single day, and this particular event does help burn patients. It’s an event for kids, but it helps benefit them as well,” Chalker said.

News 12’s Zayna Haliburton was there as Princess of Ceremonies.

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