Sacramento County sees record number of local fentanyl-related deaths in 2023
SACRAMENTO - A reporting dashboard from the Sacramento County Coroner's Office shows that the area already has more fentanyl-related deaths this year than it has over the past five years.
According to the CDC, the holiday season is a time when we see an overall increase in overdoses and alcohol-related deaths. This is true for Chris Didier who lost his son to fentanyl just two days after Christmas in 2020.
"If you're thinking well not my kid, we urge you to think again because I honestly had no red flags," said Didier. "My son was a 'straight A' student and three months after he died, his mother and I had to open acceptance letters to five UCs, including UCLA."
Zach is just one teen in a troubling trend of fentanyl-related deaths. The Sacramento County Coroner's Office data shows there have been 831 fentanyl deaths in the region over the past five years. In 2023, fentanyl deaths are the highest it's been in a single year with 230 overdose deaths so far.
The most recent death was recorded on Oct. 6, so there is a possibility there may be more that have not been ruled fentanyl overdoses yet.
In 2022 Sacramento County had 228 fentanyl-related deaths and in 2018 there was 17. It is an alarming increase, but Didier said there is not one cause for the crisis.
"We need to do more to work together to make our communities safer," Didier said.
The father believes there needs to be more education surrounding the dangers of the drug, more effective treatment and more accountability for those peddling poison for profit.
Last month in Placer County, there was the first-ever fentanyl murder conviction in California where a judge sentenced the seller to 15 years to life.
"The other part is holding social media accountable to make sure that their platforms are a safe place," said Didier.
More safeguards on social media may have saved Zach who thought he was buying Percocet from someone on Snapchat, but instead, the pill was laced with a lethal dose of fentanyl.
"I have received hundreds of notes and letters of his classmates explaining how Zach saved them and how he has helped them," said Didier.
Didier is proud his son, Zach, may still be saving others even if he is not alive anymore.
"You wanted to help others and you are still doing that," Didier told CBS 13.
