Valerie Hoff

WXIA-TV, Atlanta

MARIETTA, Ga. — A Georgia family is trying to figure out why someone would dump what seems to be a toxic chemical on their toddler's playset.

The Cobb County, Ga., family's surveillance system captured the person pouring a liquid on 2-year-old Samuel Petka's toddler slide.

Samuel's dad, Jeff Petka, first noticed something was wrong Friday as he was in the front yard of his Marietta, Ga., home chatting with a neighbor. Marietta is about 20 miles northwest of Atlanta.

"I saw dark burn marks in our grass in the shape of footprints," said Petka. "So I decided to go check my camera and I could see that someone walked across my yard at 4:32 a.m. and poured some type of toxic chemical on my child's slide and luckily he poured it on his shoes and it burned it into the grass and then walked away."

The black footprints continued until the person reached the street. The person appeared to be wearing a backpack.

"Just so upsetting to think someone would specifically target a child’s toy. It’s unbelievable," said Kathleen Petka, the boy's mother.

"It wasn't just an act of vandalism. He purposely decided to, you know, pick a child's toy and put toxins on it and walk away," Jeff Petka said.

The two said Cobb County police took a report and made a copy of the video. Kathleen Petka is eight months pregnant and she's glad she wasn’t exposed to whatever the substance was.

The Petkas' neighbors are sharing the video on social media and keeping a close eye on their children and pets.

More details in the investigation are expected Monday.

Follow Valerie Hoff on Twitter: @Valerie_Hoff