A tongue-in-cheek social media post by the Pike County Sheriff’s Department asking heroin users and dealers to let deputies test the safety of their drugs is no laughing matter following two overdoses — one fatal — hours apart at the same address this weekend, officials say.
Pike County Chief Investigator Chris Bell said Kyle Smith, 29, died of an apparent overdose and his acquaintance Kennedy Meade is recovering after nearly succumbing to an overdose.
Bell said the deputies were called to 5122 Gibson Road, McComb, at 8:30 a.m. Sunday, where they found Smith, 29, unresponsive. Deputies performed CPR on Smith until paramedics arrived. Paramedics notified Coroner Percy Pittman after they were unable to revive Smith, who was pronounced dead at the scene around 9:35 a.m., Bell said.
Hours later, Bell said deputies received a call at 12:30 p.m. to the same address, where Kennedy Meade, was unresponsive after allegedly using heroin.
Bell said Meade was lying on the sofa with lips turning blue. He said he used a defibrillator that deputies used on her after they checked for a pulse but couldn’t find one. Paramedics arrived and continued to treat Meade en route to Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center. Bell credited deputy Brandi DeMoll’s efforts to continue CPR during the ambulance ride with saving Meade’s life.
Bell said Southwest Mississippi Narcotics Enforcement Unit Commander Tim Vanderslice interviewed people who were at the scene of the overdoses.
Bell said the department and SMNEU are “attempting to combat heroin usage by all means necessary.”
One of those means involved social media. Detective Sgt. Robbie Roberts posted a message inviting heroin users and dealers to bring their drugs to the sheriff’s department for testing.
“The Pike County Sheriff’s Office has responded to several heroin overdoses over the weekend. In an effort to educate and protect the public, we are now offering free testing of your heroin,” the post states. “When heroin is not cut (diluted) correctly, citizens become ill or die. Because of the potency of heroin it must be reduced down according to manufacturing recommendations.
“With the advancement in testing, the Sheriff’s Office can now test heroin on site at your convenience. Also we want to educate your supplier (salesman) and would love for you to supply us with his/her name and number. If you have their address, we would love to drop off some reading materials and test kits for them as well. So if you are worried that your heroin is tainted, please stop by 2109 Jessie Hall Memorial Road, Magnolia, MS 39652 or call 601-783-2323 and we will test and educate you on heroin. Please tell all your friends.”
Roberts said he’s seen other agencies post similar posts and decided to post one to the department’s Facebook page.
“It’s kind of a funny post,” Roberts said, adding that the dangers of heroin are quite serious. “As soon as they start shooting stuff in their veins, it can potentially kill them.”
At least 60,000 people had seen the post by this morning.
Roberts said he’s not sure if anyone will take the bait.
“You can never tell. If one person brings something in, it means it’s working, but I doubt it,” he said. “We’re making them aware that there is some bad dope and it can potentially kill them. We’re not being insensitive. We have to get people’s attention. All of it’s harmful, but some bad dope can kill them because the person didn’t cut the dope right. They don’t care; they just want the money.”
Roberts said some posters have said some pretty harsh things calling the department petty, inconsiderate and insensitive.
Others said the department needed to offer rehabilitation to heroin users.
“Some have torn me up, but people have to realize we deal with it on a daily basis. We’re not making light of it,” Roberts said.
He said heroin usage comes in waves in Pike County. In 2016, there were six calls for heroin overdoses in one month.
“Word got out it was some bad dope. We still have heroin in the area,” he said.
He said suppliers are cutting heroin with Fentanyl, a powerful opioid.
“As soon as it hits them, it kills them,” Roberts said.
Bell said, the post has a bit of humor, but the department is treating heroin seriously.
“It’s a joke in a way, but it’s actually out there to help those who are going through addiction, he said. “We want to help those who are still using. Anyone can fall victim to a heroin overdose. Every time you shoot up, there is the possibility to overdose.”
Bell said the criminal justice system helps some people get clean.
“We send people to rehab. We send them to drug court. Everybody doesn’t belong in jail,” he said. “Some of these people are actually good people, they just have a bad addiction. We request that the judge send them to drug court or rehabilitation.
“When you have a drug problem, nine times out of 10 it leads to crime. When you can’t get it (drugs), you have to take from others to get it,” Bell said. “That’s why we’re working with the narcotics unit. The same people we’re dealing with, they are, too.”
