Kids find dad unresponsive due to suspected fentanyl overdose; 2 dead
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (FOX 2) - Two children, ages five and seven, discovered their father and his two friends unresponsive due to suspected fentanyl overdoses, according to police.
The father, 34, is currently in critical condition after being given Narcan, Southfield police said. However, his two friends died; they were brothers who were 37 and 39 years old.
The incident took place at an apartment off Eight Mile near Beech Daly in Southfield. The two kids called their grandmother on Facetime, who then called 911.
"I want to commend those children (who had) the courage and the forethought to take action," said Southfield Police Chief Elvin Barren.
The chief added that up until now, Southfield had not had a fatal overdose in about a year and a half.
"This is very concerning because the question we have to ask ourselves is – this batch of dope if you will – 'where is it at and who may also be victims to this?'" Barren said.
The Drug Enforcement Administration is now involved in tracking down where this bad batch of drugs came from.
"Be mindful of what you're ingesting," Barren warned. "Because right now we believe that there is a deadly batch out there in the community."
Coincidentally, the alleged overdoses took place on the same day Senate Republicans in Lansing proposed legislation aimed at penalizing fentanyl traffickers.
"It’s small town, it's big town. It doesn’t discriminate," said state Sen. Mark Huizenga (R-Grand Rapids).
Huizenga is sponsoring the bill, which is part of a bigger border security package. The package would increase penalties for manufacturing, delivering, or possessing fentanyl, he said.
How Oakland County's Narcan vending machines can save lives
Oakland County has installed vending 45 Narcan vending machines to help combat the opioid epidemic.
"Two milligrams is lethal," Huizenga said. "With the kind of volume that we see coming across the border right now, this is the time to stand up right now – these are people that are dying, these are friends and relatives."
Free Narcan is available in vending machines throughout Southfield and the rest of Oakland County.