5 kids die of suspected fentanyl overdose since June: PPB

PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) – The Portland Police Bureau says 10 juvenile drug overdoses since June are under investigation. Of the 10 overdoses, nine are believed to involve fentanyl, police say.

Officials say over the last three years, officers have investigated nine overdoses among juveniles. However, since mid-June, five children have died from overdoses.

PPB released the following breakdown of ages, dates and the victims’ status:

6/15/23 – 1-year-old Fentanyl OD, victim survived
6/19/23 – 2-year-old Fentanyl OD, victim is deceased
6/25/23 – 4-year-old Fentanyl OD, victim survived
7/19/23 – 1-year-old THC OD, victim survived
8/10/23 – 15-year-old Fentanyl OD, victim is deceased
8/24/23 – 1-year-old Fentanyl OD, victim is deceased
8/26/23 – 17-year-old Fentanyl OD, victim survived
9/14/23 – 5-year-old Fentanyl OD, victim is deceased
9/20/23 – 15-year-old Fentanyl OD, victim is deceased
9/22/23 – 15-month-old Fentanyl OD, victim survived

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This year, PPB’s narcotics division has responded to more than 240 overdoses. In all of 2022, the division responded to 158 in total, according to police.

No further information is available at this time and police emphasize all are “suspected” overdoses until confirmed by the Medical Examiner.