HARTFORD, Conn — Following the fatal fentanyl overdose of a 13-year-old student from Hartford’s Sport and Medical Science Academy, city leaders are now considering how they can expand access to the life-saving opioid overdose drug Narcan.
The identity of that 13-year-old victim is still being withheld and police still won’t say what, if anything, they found as a result of their search warrant of the victim’s home. Police are also declining to say if they anticipate criminal charges.
The Sport and Medical Science Academy will not reopen Tuesday, according to school officials. A sample came back indicating that one room was slightly over the detection limit for fentanyl, a Hartford Public Schools spokesperson told FOX61. Cleanup will continue Tuesday.
But as this investigation continues, city leaders are also being pressed for action to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
“I think communities across the state and the country are going to have to consider what additional efforts can be taken not just in schools but wherever kids are. Wherever people gather,” said Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin.
The mayor is speaking with community partners about the possibility of bringing Narcan into the schools and into community recreation centers.
“It is a tragic reflection on our society that these drugs are as available as they are and as poisonous as they are,” he said.
Dita Bhargava lost her son Alec, a 26-year-old triple-A hockey player, to a drug overdose in 2018. He purchased fentanyl-laced heroin in Hartford and passed away with an unopened package of Narcan next to him.
“He’s our guiding light now,” she said, adding: “Narcan should be being distributed with the same approach that we are taking right now to distribute COVID tests.”
The push for expanded access comes as Hartford Police warn residents they found fentanyl 50 times more potent than normal circulating in the community.
“A lot of times what we see is people think they are buying heroin when in fact they are buying fentanyl which can be lethal the moment they use it,” explained Hartford Police Lt. Aaron Boisvert. “This is so dangerous that it could potentially kill you just by coming in contact with it through your skin.”
As the world grapples with a global pandemic, these leaders don’t want you to forget about the global epidemic.
“Prior to being immersed in the COVID pandemic, Congress was focused on dealing with the opioid crisis that we have throughout the country,” remarked Rep. John Larson. “This is not the city of Hartford or the state of Connecticut. This is all across the country.”
Hartford Police said last year alone in the city 43,000 bags of fentanyl were seized, but not before fentanyl claimed the lives of 111 people.
Matt Caron is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at mcaron@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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