5 fentanyl cases reported in Riverside in 2-day span, including one involving young children
"The drug dealers just want your money," said the Riverside PD Public Information Officer. "They don't care if you die."
RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KABC) -- The fentanyl epidemic continues to explode in the Inland Empire.
In the city of Riverside, police are investigating fives cases that took place in the span of just about 27 hours.
"The drug dealers just want your money," said Riverside PD Public Information Officer Ryan Railsback. "They don't care if you die."
Police were called to Kaiser Medical Center in Riverside around 11 a.m. Monday with hospital staff reporting that one parent of a three-year-old patient was being uncooperative.
The child was in extremely critical condition and almost died.
"This was actually a family of five; two parents and their 2-, 3- and 5-year-old kids who were homeless, living out of a car," said Railsback. "When they brought the child back to life, basically by using Narcan, they did a blood test and found he'd overdosed on fentanyl."
"Once Child Protective Services got involved, they tested the other two kids. They also tested positive for fentanyl, although they didn't have symptoms."
The case came just a day after a 34-year-old man was found dead in his bedroom in the Canyon Crest neighborhood.
He's believed to have died from a fentanyl overdose.
Two days later, police said a 36-year-old transient was found unresponsive near a homeless encampment in the Hunter Park neighborhood.
She is also believed to have died from a fentanyl overdose.
"When it comes to fentanyl, you do not know what you're getting," said Railsback.
He said the three small children who tested positive for fentanyl are now in the custody of child protective services. Their parents are in jail facing child endangerment charges.
