Forum Held To Warn Parent’s Of Drug Dangers In Charlotte

CHARLOTTE – Debbie Dalton is a proud mother of her son, Hunter. He died in November 2016 at the age of 23 to fentanyl poisoning. She tells WCCB’s Emma Mondo that she never thought this could impact her family.

“I’m very guilty of being that person before this happened to us,” said Dalton. “If I heard the word overdose, it’s somebody to back alley with a needle in their arm. That’s not going to touch my world. And it did.”

It has been her mission since then to share his story. Thursday night – she sat on a panel hosted by the Victoria’s Voice Foundation to discuss the potential threats of the growing drug epidemic in Mecklenburg county. About a dozen people were in attendance.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services says there were 21 emergency room visits in Mecklenburg County because of fentanyl in April. There were 15 in march and 11 in February.

Sheriff Gary McFadden and Charlotte city councilwoman Tiawana Brown were on the panel as well. Brown tells Mondo why it’s so important to discuss this topic especially before the summer starts.

“It is very, very imperative that we bring it at the opening of getting ready to go into our summer break with our children so that we can keep all of them safe,” said Brown.

Dalton hopes to arm other parents with the knowledge and risks of fentanyl.

“There’s so much of parents have to deal with,” she said. “I get that. But, you know, it kind of doesn’t matter what school your kid’s getting into if they’re not alive to get there.”