ST. LOUIS – On Thursday, state and local officials filled the New Northside Missionary Baptist Church in North City for one reason: A discussion on fentanyl overdoses.
According to the City of St. Louis Department of Health, overdose fatalities rose 30% from 375 in 2018 to 487 in 2022 with fentanyl responsible for most deaths.
The issue hits home closely for many. Becky Savhee says she found her 18-year-old son and 19-year-old sons dead in their own home after a suspected overdose.
Savhee says her two sons were attending a graduation party with friends and were offered prescription pills that didn’t belong to them. That night, there were five overdoses and two overdose deaths.
“I was the one that found them the next morning,” she said. “It’s something I would never want someone to experience.”
She’s been to every state since to spread her family’s story, and it’s the same reason she found herself in St Louis Thursday night.
“We’ve seen over 1,000 overdose deaths in the St Louis metropolitan area,” said Michael Davis, Special Agent in charge DEA St. Louis Division.
Agents say, with fentanyl, it takes just one pill to kill.
“Fentanyl is actually being made in Caledon labs in Mexico,” said Davis. “It makes its way across our borders into our western cities. At some point in the distribution process, they make their way through the interstate system, right here to the heartland [and] our retail dealers here in St Louis.”
Affecting all ages, races, and backgrounds, fentanyl is claiming lives with too much to live for.
“Nick had just finished his first year at Indiana University. Jack had just graduated from high school,” said Savhee on her two sons.
A new DEA report suggests that six out of ten fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl.
A sugar packet’s worth is the equivalent to 500 lethal overdoses. Just 12 grains is the equivalent to how much it could take for fentanyl to kill you.
Davis says the St. Louis region needs more boots on the ground.
“Most of these drugs are coming from the cartel, the Jalisco new generation cartel and the Sinaloa cartels in Mexico,” said Davis. “The more agents that we can get out there, the more task force officers, and funding to actually conduct enforcement operations, that would help us out.”
He adds the community needs to be more aware of fentanyl and its risks.
“If you ingest any type of pill and you don’t know its origin, you’re gambling with your life,” said Davis. “Enforcement alone is just not going to get it.”
Holding a community summit in North City, where they’re seeing the worst of it, Savhee hopes others can learn from her family’s tragedy.
“Unfortunately, it just takes one bad mistake to end it all,” said Savhee.
As for those dealing it, the DEA has a new system underway for investigating overdose deaths.
“When someone dies from a fentanyl poising or overdose, we’re working to find out who delivered that fatal dose to that victim,” said Davis.
As they search for those contributing to the over 1,000 overdoses that occurred here in the St Louis metro last year alone, Davis reassures, “If you’re putting poison out on these streets, we’re definitely coming for you.”