A second Akron child in a week has accidentally ingested and overdosed on drugs apparently left out by parents or other adults.
According to police, a 6-year-old girl ingested an opiate — possibly heroin, fentanyl or the potent carfentanil — and was revived with two doses of naloxone, an opiate antidote commonly distributed under the brand name Narcan.
The girl overdosed at about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 2900 block of Popham Street, according to police. She was taken to Akron Children’s Hospital and is expected to survive. The girl and her 14-year-old sister have been placed into the care of Summit County Children’s Services.
The girl’s mother told police the child became sick after eating dog food, not opiates.
Akron police Lt. Rick Edwards noted that naloxone does not reverse any medical problem except opiate overdoses.
A similar scenario played out on March 8.
In that case, authorities revived a 2-year-old boy with the opiate antidote in the 500 block of Brittain Road. His parents admitted to police that they were drug abusers.
Parents in both cases have not yet been charged. Investigations are ongoing, and charges are expected to be filed after toxicology reports are completed and the presence of drugs in the children’s systems is confirmed. Edwards urged parents who abuse drugs but aren’t ready for treatment to keep the opiates away from children.
Nick Glunt can be reached at 330-996-3565 or nglunt@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @NickGluntABJ and on Facebook @JournoNickGlunt .