Coroner: 3 Dead, Others Treated After Suspected Overdoses
WASHINGTON, Pa. (KDKA/AP) - Authorities in Washington County say three people died of suspected heroin overdoses over the weekend and more than a dozen other overdose victims were transported to hospitals.
The Washington County Coroner's Office says police investigated 17 reports of overdoses across the county on Sunday, almost half of them in Washington, Pennsylvania.
Overdose cases were also reported in Canonsburg and Donora.
In a press release, Washington County Public Safety Director Jeff Yates, said, "This is a significant increase in overdose calls over a 24 hour period. We are working very hard to gather as much information about these incidents as possible. Unfortunately, these types of emergency calls are a symptom of the heroin epidemic that not only affects Washington County and Southwestern Pennsylvania, but impacts communities across the commonwealth and the nation."
Coroner Timothy Warco says his office is investigating three deaths over the weekend that may have been due to overdoses.
A teenager died in Amwell Township, another person died at Washington Hospital and a third person fatally overdosed in Charleroi.
Experts say right now heroin is relatively inexpensive and easily available.
"You have young children that are being affected by this, parents, people in their 70s that are being forced to raise their grandchildren and their great-grandchildren… and society. We're all being paying for it as taxpayers in the form of all the court actions that go on, in terms of treatment costs and incarceration of these people," said Washington County District Attorney Eugene Vitttone. "So, from a law enforcement standpoint, I want to find out where it's coming from, how it's getting into my county and we're going to go get these guys and take them off the streets."
Officials said three people were revived after responding police officers treated them with the prescription drug Naloxone, which can prevent overdose fatalities.
Officials said a program to distribute the drug using money forfeited under court order from drug dealers has already saved the lives of six people.
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