Category: News

WCSO arrests woman for death by distribution, first charge of it’s kind in Watauga

Other man to face similar charges once released from jail on unrelated case

WATAUGA — The Watauga County Sheriff’s Office has charged a woman with death by distribution in what is the first charge of its kind in the county.

Angelina G. Miller, 30, was arrested by the Alexander County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday, June 3, after WCSO notified Alexander County that she was likely in the area.

The secured bond for the death by distribution charge was set at $500,000 by Alexander County Magistrate’s Office. She received a court date for June 28, at 9 a.m. in Watauga County District Court.

According to the Watauga County warrant, Miller allegedly “unlawfully, willfully, and feloniously did sell narcotics, Fentanyl, which” killed someone due to an overdose of the Fentanyl. The warrant notes that the “offender did not act with malice.”

Read the full article on the Watauga Democrat website.

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FENTVIC.ORG  NC BILLBOARD CAMPAIGN

May 29-June 26, 2023, 24/7, digital and illuminated.

Winston-Salem, Forsyth County NC, 2 locations

Purpose is to raise awareness of the 13,376 NC victims of illicit fentanyl poisonings and to generate public safety conversations within communities and families about the dangers of illicit fentanyl, particularly counterfeit pills.  Illicit fentanyl killed over 523 Forsyth County residents in the past 9 years, 2013-August 2022.  (source:  North Carolina State Center for Health Statistics, Vital Statistics Death Certificate Data)

These are the first billboards of the FENTVIC.ORG Campaign.  They feature 19 NC illicit fentanyl poisoning victims with permission of their families.  The campaign will run in other cities throughout NC exclusively featuring NC illicit fentanyl poisoning victims.  Future campaign locations and dates TBD.

FENTVIC.ORG  NC BILLBOARD CAMPAIGN

Administered by Fentanyl Victims Network of NC (fentvic), www.fentvic.org,

Barb Walsh, Executive Director, 919-614-3830, barb@fentvic.org.  Fentvic is a charitable nonprofit located in Cary NC.  EIN #88-3921380.  Fentvic fights illicit fentanyl in NC. Fentvic advocates for public safety for all and justice for NC families permanently damaged by illicit fentanyl poisonings.

In partnership with Forgotten Victims of NC, Patricia Drewes, Founder, 252-204-9611, patriciadrewes@yahoo.com, link to FB page:  http://forgottenvictimsofnc.org/

Campaign Locations & Artwork developed Adams Outdoor Advertising, Julie Belnap, Account Executive,336-926-3850 (cell), jbelnap@adamsoutdoor.com

FENTVIC.ORG  NC BILLBOARD CAMPAIGN: 2 locations in Winston Salem, Forsyth County

  1. Digital Group One features NC fentanyl victims Alexandra, Christian, Gabriella, Heaven, Hunter, Jared, Jeremiah, Robert, Sophia, and Zack:  Billboard location:  sign 305-4.  B40 .12 miles East of Stratford Road N, Exit 3C N/side of highway Facing west.  You can park off Miller Street (near Publix) behind the Mayberry’s Restaurant to view this digital (parking lot area there for viewing) Google Maps.
  2. Digital Group Two features NC fentanyl victims Abigail, Ashley, Carissa, Chase, Marshall, Martin, Michiko, Mikey, Sophia, and Vincent.  Billboard Location:  sign 602-4. B40 .37 miles West of Old Greensboro Rd/ Linville Road (Exit 10)NS Facing west.  Take Exit 10 to Linville Road, and head towards Smokin’ Harley Davidson dealer.  Go past the dealer toward Pepsi plant (turn around and you can park on side of service road for viewing) Google Maps.
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Ashley Whaby Unknowingly Took Fentanyl and Died, So Why Has No One Been Held Accountable, Grandma Asks

Ashley Whaby was found dead the day after a party where she may have unknowingly ingested fentanyl. No one has been charged in her death, and her grandmother, Debbie Peeden, wants answers.

Ashley Whaby was at a party with a few friends one fall night in 2021 when she ingested a drug she believed she had used many times before. But unbeknownst to her, it was laced with a lethal dose of fentanyl, her loved ones say.

Ashley’s death left Debbie Peeden, her grandmother and the woman who raised her, with a life-altering wound and an unbreakable resolve for answers. But thus far, she’s gotten few that have satisfied her, she tells Inside Edition Digital in an in-depth interview. 

Read the full article on the Inside Edition website.

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Fentanyl-related deaths among children increased more than 30-fold between 2013 and 2021

CNN — 

Fatal overdoses involving fentanyl have surged in recent years in the US and new research shows that deaths among children have increased significantly, mirroring trends among adults.

More than 5,000 children and teens have died from overdoses involving fentanyl in the past two decades, according to data published Monday in JAMA Pediatrics. More than half of those deaths occurred in the first two years of the Covid-19 pandemic.

There were about 1,550 pediatric deaths from fentanyl in 2021 – over 30 times more than in 2013, when the wave of overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids started in the US.

Watch the segment and read the full article on the CNN web site.

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Mother who lost son to fentanyl-related death organizes walk to raise awareness

MOREHEAD CITY — A Morehead City mother who lost her son in December to a fentanyl-related death is turning her grief into action.

Mary Warstler of Morehead City is organizing The Walk for Fentanyl Awareness to fight back against the epidemic that is plaguing the county, state and nation.

“I’m hoping to raise awareness and want to see more education in our schools about this at a younger age,” Warstler said. “I talk to a lot of young people that don’t know what it is, and some have said if they get drugs from their friends, it is safe. But their friends are getting drugs from dealers, and they are not safe. I applaud what’s being done so far by our officials, but more needs to be done.”

She added that she is reaching out to other mothers who have lost children to drug overdoses.

“If I can save one mom from the hell I’m going through and what other moms are going through — if I can save somebody — this will be worth it,” she said.

Read the full article on the CarolinaCoastOnline web site.

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Where are fentanyl victims’ rights?

Drug-induced homicide killed my son

By Kristy Dyroff – – Thursday, April 27, 2023

OPINION:

Victims of drug-induced homicide and their affected family members are not given the resources and recognition they deserve. I know this because I am one.

Wesley, my son, was a 22-year-old college student in 2007 when he injured his knee playing football with friends. As his mother, I sent him to our family physician for care. This was when our nightmare began. My son was prescribed increasingly higher doses of opioids for the pain, caught in the spiral of greed initiated by Purdue Pharma. Our entire family struggled through his addiction as he valiantly fought his way through half a dozen rehab programs, intensive outpatient programs, halfway houses and Narcotics Anonymous. He finally found success at a faith-based, nine-month rehab program, where he developed his own faith and strength. I was overjoyed to have my kind, thoughtful, beautiful son back as the amazing gentle giant he had grown to be.

On Aug. 19, 2015, when my husband and I found him dead in his home after being sober for two years, I was devastated by the grief.

Read the full article on the Washington Times website.

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WSOC TV 9 Investigates: Incomplete Autopsies

WSOC TV 9 Investigates: Incomplete autopsies from state impacting deadly NC drug cases

UNION COUNTY, N.C. — Channel 9 is continuing to investigate a statewide autopsy backlog which means some cases are getting left unsolved.

In some types of criminal cases, the medical examiner’s office isn’t even doing a full autopsy, which is making it harder to prosecute crimes in our community. Channel 9’s Genevieve Curtis found out that many of those cases are overdoses.

The Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner’s Office performs a full autopsy in overdose cases so that prosecutors can go after the drug dealers under the 2019 Death by Distribution law. But several of our local counties have to send their cases to Raleigh’s medical examiner, where they’re not getting those same results.

Union County District Attorney Trey Robison has been aggressive about prosecuting dealers who sell drugs which cause an overdose death.

“We can’t prosecute any of these cases without autopsies that we can take into court and show to a jury to try and prove our case,” DA Robison said.

But to prove it in court, Robison needs a full autopsy.

Read the full article on the WSOC TV 9 website.

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Bill calls for tougher penalties for opioid, fentanyl dealers

Additional coverage of this bill can be found on the following:

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