An 11-month-old Everett infant is in recovery while another, just six months old, is in stable condition at Children's Hospital following recent fentanyl overdoses, according to FOX 13 Seattle. Tragically, a third child, aged 13 months, succumbed to the potent drug. These overdoses occurred within a shocking span of four days, stirring concern amongst residents and authorities alike.
The string of life-threatening incidents began on April 20, when an unresponsive 11-month-old was discovered by their parents and administered Narcan before medical assistance arrived. Following treatment at the hospital, the infant was later released. Official reports indicated that the firefighters who arrived on the scene for the second and third distress calls barely two hours apart on April 24, had to jump into immediate action administering first aid which included the anti-overdose medication Narcan. One of the children was taken to Seattle Children's Everett clinic, as reported by KING 5 News.
Everett's heartbreak over these incidents was voiced by resident Esvy Nunez, who experienced a similar incident with her niece. “Very frustrated and disappointment, I feel like children are being not listened to at all. There’s so many laws to protect adults but unfortunately, I feel like there’s not very much when it comes to children,” Nunez told KIRO 7 News in an interview. Her 18-month-old niece nearly died from a fentanyl overdose, requiring multiple doses of Narcan to be saved.
It's highlighted by the Drug Enforcement Administration that a mere two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal, putting babies particularly at risk because of their tiny bodies and lack of opioid tolerance. While the investigation into these events is ongoing and police have found no immediate connection between them, the community remains deeply troubled by the increasing number of young lives put in peril due to accidental fentanyl ingestion, as echoed in a statement by the city of Everett, obtained by KING 5 News.
