Advocates sound off after another baby dies of a fentanyl overdose in Baton Rouge - WAFB

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Advocates are sounding the alarm after another baby died of a drug overdose in the Baton Rouge area.

According to Baton Rouge Police, Tiffany Thomason, 40, was arrested and charged with negligent homicide in the death of her infant son.

His death was the result of a fentanyl overdose, according to the East Baton Rouge Coroner’s Office.

Officials believe this is the third baby to die of an overdose in less than a year.

“I’m infuriated by it. I’m disgusted by it. The lack of concern for a human life is unforgivable,” Angele Mixon said.

Mixon lost her daughter Kailyn Kaough to fentanyl poisoning in February 2021. She was only 26.

Mixon bears a tattoo on her forearm that says ‘Still I Rise’ in memory of her child.

“My daughter had this exact tattoo on her arm. It’s a Maya Angelou quote. It’s very dear to me. Some days I don’t get up as quickly as I’d like to, but I have to keep getting up,” Mixon said.

Mixon says there has to be more pressure put on lawmakers and prosecutors to address the fentanyl problem around the Capital Region.

She believes the key to cleaning up the streets starts with holding the drug dealers more accountable.

“We want to change laws, we want to change whatever we can, we want to be effective and advocate for the people that can’t talk. Those poor children can’t speak for themselves. Their lives have ended before they begun,” Mixon said.

According to a recent study, more than 108,000 people across the country died from fentanyl poisoning in 2021.

That’s more people than what Tiger Stadium can hold.

“It’s absolutely like having casualties in a war,” Lilly Harvey said.

Harvey runs an organization called ‘Millie Mattered’, a group dedicated to bringing awareness to overdoses and addiction.

The group was named in honor of Harvey’s daughter Millie who also died from fentanyl poisoning.

She believes another big key to curbing this issue is education.

“That’s what we want. That’s what we need. We want our message to get out to their community to spread it on the streets,” Harvey said.

Harvey and Mixon agree this advocacy work is a tall task, but they are determined to save as many lives as possible.

“These children need a voice, and it’s not going to be one, or mines, or yours or my neighbors. It has to be all of us as a group. We have to come together and stand up and just let them know that I’m not going to have it. We’re just not going to have it. So, whatever you have to do to get this in check, you have to do it,” Mixon said.

The Substrance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year hotline. That number is 1-800-487-4889.

For a list of local resources, click here.

Click here to report a typo.

Copyright 2022 WAFB. All rights reserved.

Adblock test (Why?)

"sound" - Google News
March 07, 2023 at 11:54AM
https://ift.tt/5Lhj8Rb

Advocates sound off after another baby dies of a fentanyl overdose in Baton Rouge - WAFB
"sound" - Google News
https://ift.tt/pdZS5Qo
Shoes Man Tutorial
Pos News Update
Meme Update
Korean Entertainment News
Japan News Update