Fentanyl Claims Two Lives and Exposes Three Kids Within 24 Hours

“RIVERSIDE, CA – On Monday, June 5, 2023 at approximately 11:18 a.m., a 3-year-old child suffered a medical emergency in the parking lot to a local grocery store and stopped breathing. Paramedics with the Riverside Fire Department responded and the child was transported to a local hospital for treatment. Riverside Police Officers responded to the hospital after one of the child’s parents were attempting to interfere with the hospital’s care of her son. Soon after, it was discovered the child had fentanyl in his blood stream and overdosed. A detective assigned to the Sexual Assault – Child Abuse Unit also responded to assist in this investigation.

Investigators learned this child, his 2-year-old sister, 5-year-old brother, and parents had been experiencing homelessness for the past few months and living in their car. Further investigation determined the other two children had also tested positive for fentanyl after all three were possibly exposed to the drug in the car. Subsequently, both parents were arrested and later booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center for child endangerment.

All three children were placed into the custody and care of the Riverside County Department of Child Protective Services.

The night prior at approximately 10:00 p.m., our officers and paramedics responded to a residence in the Canyon Crest neighborhood of Riverside for a 34-year-old man located deceased by family. Evidence of illicit drug use was found and it appears the man overdosed on fentanyl and died.

The next day on June 6th, officers and paramedics responded to the area of Citrus Street and Iowa Avenue in the Hunter Park neighborhood after a 36-year-old female transient was discovered unresponsive by friends. Lifesaving efforts were attempted but the woman died at the scene. Evidence of illicit drug use was found and her death is suspected to have been a fentanyl overdose at this time.

“Within a 24-hour time period in Riverside, we had 3 children exposed to fentanyl and 2 adults die from it,” stated Riverside Police Chief Larry Gonzalez. “More sensible legislation is needed to help rid this poison from our neighborhoods, and your local chiefs, sheriffs, and district attorneys will continue to pressure our lawmakers until we do.”

Click on the link below where you will find a list of several helpful resources including the County of Riverside’s new “Faces of Fentanyl” website, which is part of the county-wide campaign on Fentanyl awareness.  Link: https://www.riversideca.gov/…/fentanyl-claims-two-lives…

To report suspected illegal narcotics activity in the city of Riverside, you can do so anonymously by emailing RPDTips@RiversideCA.gov, or by downloading the Riverside Police Department’s “Atlas 1” mobile app and use the “Send a Message” feature.”