Two Michigan men are dead and one is in critical condition after two young children found their father and his friend unresponsive after a suspected fentanyl overdose, local police said.
The children, ages 5 and 7, found their father unconscious in the apartment and called their grandmother, who also called 911. report Fox 2 Detroit.
Southfield police announced Wednesday that the father, a 34-year-old man who was given Narcan, was in critical condition, and two of his friends, brothers ages 37 and 39, had died.
“I want to commend these children for having the courage and foresight to take action,” Chief Elvin Ballen said, adding that the two deaths were the first overdose deaths in the city in about 18 months.
“This is very concerning, because the question we have to ask ourselves is, with this mass of drugs, ‘Where is it and who could be the victim of this?’ ‘Because that’s what it means.’
The federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is investigating the source of the batch containing fentanyl, local media reported.
“Be careful what you’re consuming,” Bullen warned. “Because we believe there is a deadly population in the community at this time.”
The death occurred on the same day that a Republican state senator proposed a bill targeting fentanyl traffickers.
Michigan Senate Republicans announced Wednesday that Sen. Mark Huizenga (R) plans to stiffen penalties for deadly drug trafficking. announced.
“The tragic result of failed federal policy has resulted in thousands of deaths from fentanyl, many of them right here in West Michigan,” Huizenga said. “As a state, we can take common-sense, bipartisan steps now to crack down on fentanyl traffickers and dealers in Michigan.”
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The senator said the bill is part of a border security package that state Republican officials are working on that will “save lives and help solve this growing problem that is harming our country.” That’s the purpose,” he said.
“We can all do our part to protect our families and protect our communities from fentanyl and other dangerous drugs,” Huizenga added.
