Boy, 13, Dies Due to Fentanyl Exposure From Connecticut Middle School

A 13-year old boy died in a hospital on Saturday after exposure to fentanyl at a Connecticut middle school, authorities reported.

According to a statement of the Hartford Police Department, "the 13-year-old male juvenile succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased."

The Hartford police said that the boy's death resulted from an overdose, and an investigation on the matter is ongoing. The police added that they tested the substance and confirmed fentanyl.

Authorities report that the victim was hospitalized in a "guarded condition" at Sport and Medical Sciences Academy last Thursday after becoming unconscious in the morning of the same day. 

Two other boys, ages 12 and 13, who also came in contact with fentanyl were also transported to the hospital after complaining of dizziness. The two boys were eventually discharged from the hospital after the check-up, and authorities reported no further information. Police believed that the three boys came in contact with the fentanyl simultaneously.

Authorities also brought to the hospital a teacher who had a panic attack during the incident. 

The overdose happened at 10:30 A.M. on Thursday after the boy collapsed in gym class and was unresponsive. The school nurse initiated CPR until the fire department personnel arrived.

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Bags of fentanyl found in school

The report of the fentanyl overdose of the 13-year-old boy prompted authorities with drug-sniffing dogs to search the school for the illegal substance. Police found 40 bags of fentanyl in various locations within the school. Police found the bags containing fentanyl in at least two classrooms and the gym.

On Friday, police spokesperson Lt. Aaron Boisvert said that the fentanyl was "packaged in what you would see in a street-level sales." The bags only contained fentanyl in powder form.

The Drug enforcement agency collected the drugs and was tested at the lab. The test later confirmed that the drug was fentanyl.

Authorities believed that the student who overdosed brought the bags into the school.

On Thursday, students walked through a solution of bleach and Oxyclean to decontaminate possible fentanyl exposure, the police said.

Principal Alison Giuliano's letter to students' families and staff on Thursday night stated the school was closed on Friday for the cleaning and decontamination process.

More openness to discussing drug problems

According to Ryan Marino, the medical director for toxicology and addiction at the University Hospitals in Cleveland, authorities can prevent drug overdose death by encouraging frank discussions about drug safety. For Marino, Naxalone, a drug that can quickly and effectively reverse an opioid overdose, should be available in schools and households. "We need naloxone in every school and household," he said.

In 2021, two UW- Milwaukee students died on campus due to fentanyl overdose. The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's office reported that fentanyl was present in 80 percent of overdoses, Technical Forensic Director Sara Schreiber said.

A nationwide campaign on social media, "One Pill Can Kill," has since circulated on social media. The two Milwaukee students' parents and friends are now putting up fentanyl awareness posters and encouraging schools to have Naxalone kits to prevent fentanyl overdose fatalities.

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