RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – – More kids in North Carolina are passing away from fentanyl in the last few years. The North Carolina Child Fatality Task Force took a closer take a look at those deaths and what could be done to avoid them throughout its conference Thursday.
The N.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner Chief Toxicologist Sandra C. Bishop-Freeman shared the harrowing information with the task force.
" It has become clear that fentanyl is the most importantly opioid that is currently causing illegal deaths in the pediatric population," stated Bishop-Freeman.
Bishop-Freeman said 108 North Carolina children died from fentanyl in the previous years, the majority of them are teens or are toddlers and infants.
" We have older people that are utilizing the drug recreationally, either knowingly or unknowingly, and toddlers and babies that are finding the drug through expedition," Bishop-Freeman said.
She said there's been a huge boost in the past few years, with 35 fentanyl deaths in 2022 for teens and kids below 5.
Marty McCaffrey sits on the state committee that reviews kid deaths.
" It's constantly been the worst meeting and the most horrific conference I go to monthly, however over the last number of years I will say, if it's possible, it's gotten even more awful," McCaffrey said.
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McCaffrey and others in the meeting stated when it comes to options, safe storage is critical.
He recommends offering mothers who have actually understood substance abuse issues safe and secure boxes. He also recommends that after a mom delivers hospitals need to send her home with Narcan if physicians understand the children because home might be at risk for coming in contact with drugs.
"I suggest, we're going to need to accept, and actually alter our culture, about how we deal with a few of these mamas, all of these moms, with substance usage, and recognize there's great damage reduction strategies we need to start employing," McCaffrey said.
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