Carrollton parents concerned after another suspected student overdose
CARROLLTON (CBSNewsTexas.com) – The Carrollton Police Department is investigating a suspected overdose on a middle school campus after a student was successfully revived with Narcan, an opioid reversal medication.
According to police, a 13-year-old lost consciousness around 11:20 a.m. Tuesday in a classroom at Dewitt Perry Middle School in Carrollton. Staff were able to revive the student by administering several doses of Narcan.
"That day, on Tuesday, I couldn't sleep," said Myrna Martinez, whose daughter is in sixth grade at Perry Middle School. "I was so scared, and I told my daughter, I'm so scared, thinking those things going on there is so scary."
In a letter sent to parents about the incident, school administrators did not explicitly blame fentanyl for the overdose. However, they did point families to resources on the district's website to educate kids about the dangers of the deadly drug.
The suspected overdose comes amid a string of fentanyl poisonings affecting students in the district.
"There is a very serious crisis of epidemic proportions in Carrollton-Farmers Branch, and it needs to be attacked aggressively," said Carlos Quintanilla, a community advocate who has been working with parents to lobby for changes at CFBISD.
In the past six months, at least three CFBISD students have died and six others were hospitalized from fentanyl-laced pills.
"It takes one pill, and you can die," said Martinez, who warns her daughter about fentanyl every chance she gets. "Every morning I say don't take anything, even if it looks like a candy. She says, I know mom. I'm like, I'm sorry I have to keep telling you but it's happening very often."
Martinez says there's only so much she can do to protect her child if this lethal drug can be found in the classroom. She wants the district and parents to come together to figure out a better way forward.
"We all want the best for our kids," Martinez said. "It's not fair kids are dying this way. It's not."
CFBISD has Narcan stocked on every campus. The district has also held several informational workshops for families about the dangers of fentanyl.
Quintanilla doesn't believe it's enough.
"They need to really do a comprehensive outreach on an issue that has gotten out of their hands," Quintanilla said. "They no longer control this issue. The drug dealers are controlling the issue, and that needs to be resolved."
Several suspected dealers have been arrested in connection to the fatal overdoses and poisonings.
In a statement, the Carrollton Police Department said: "…if determined that the cause was an opioid overdose, CPD will continue to investigate where the drugs were procured. The national opioid crisis is affecting all cities in Texas, but the quick reaction and preparedness of the school district staff saved this student's life."
The 13-year-old was taken by ambulance to Children's Medical Center in stable condition.