DEA investigating overdoses that occurred at North Texas halfway houses
WHITE SETTLEMENT (CBSNewsTexas.com) – White Settlement police responded to four overdose emergencies over two days, at a substance abuse treatment facility in late March. The calls happened in the two days before Fort Worth public safety agencies responded to four suspected overdoses at a halfway house in that city.
The DEA is actively investigating concerns from additional cities, involving similar facilities and similar substances suspected in the overdoses.
One man died at ABODE Treatment in White Settlement, just before 7 a.m. on Sunday, March 26. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's office identified him as 44-year-old Kamal Knight. Another resident was revived with Narcan and transported to a hospital, according to WSPD Chief Chris Cook.
Officers were called back to the facility that same afternoon about 4:30 p.m. for another suspected overdose, and again the next evening for another.
Cook said investigators suspect the use of K2, a synthetic marijuana, possibly laced with fentanyl.
March 28, four people at a residential re-entry center in Fort Worth were found unresponsive. Staff administered Narcan, and performed CPR on three of them, until emergency officials arrived. All three were treated and released from a nearby hospital.
Volunteers of America which runs the facility in Fort Worth, said in a statement the next day that a search of the facility found drug paraphernalia. It credited staff for swift action in saving the lives of residents.
WSPD sent a letter to administrators at ABODE after the emergencies there, requesting a meeting to discuss "illegal activities and public health risks."
"We know the ownership doesn't want that," Cook said. "The Texas Department of Corrections, criminal justice, we met with them. They don't want that in the facility. So that's why yes we've put the facility on notice. We have some significant concerns this is occurring in a drug treatment facility."
ABODE did not immediately reply to requests for comment Monday on the incidents in their facility.
