Two Counselors, who were responsible for the six residents of the Freedom Ridge Recovery Lodge in West Brandywine, died on Sunday as a result of their own opioid addictions. Both died of an Overdose of a combination of both heroin and fentanyl.

Counselors overseeing drug addicts overdose on heroin and fentanyl

As reported by the Washington Post, the counselors were also responsible for administering medication to the residents of what is termed a “special recovery home for men,” offering a safe place for them to live. According to the facility’s description, their counselors can help drug addicts to build a strong sense of self, enabling them to return to the world with a feeling of strength and success.

The Chester County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement that the two unnamed counselors were found by residents of the facility in their rooms. Both were unresponsive at the time. Paramedics arrived at the facility at around 2:15 p.m. but were unable to save the lives of the two counselors.

Both were pronounced dead at the scene. Photos taken by officials at the facility showed clear evidence of the overdose, with empty heroin packets, a syringe, a spoon with remnants of the drug still attached, along with cigarette packs, snus tobacco, and a vaporizer.

Public warned about combined heroin/fentanyl drug products

The New York Daily News reports that on searching both rooms, police uncovered baggies of heroin, some labeled with the word "Danger" and a skull and crossbones image and others marked with the “Superman” logo. During an autopsy, both counselors tested positive for both heroin and fentanyl.

District Attorney Thomas Hogan urged the public to avoid any contact with drugs labeled with the same logos, saying from their tests, both appear to be heroin laced with fentanyl.

He stressed that this combination is likely to kill anyone who uses the drugs. Hogan added that even law enforcement are not allowed to handle the drugs without taking special precautions, due to the extreme danger of injury or death from contact with the contents.

Opioid epidemic continues to spread

Hogan went on to say this case is a “frightening example” of just how dire the opioid epidemic is becoming. He called opioids a “monster” that is slowly taking over the population and said 91 people die each day from the use of the drugs. He added that the two counselors, who were in charge of supervising drug addicts in recovery from opioids, died of the same addiction.

Blasting News has recently reported the story of an Ohio police officer who almost died from an overdose of fentanyl when taking drug dealing suspects into custody. Another article told the sad story of a five-year-old boy in Ohio who had to run two blocks in the dark to his grandfather’s house after his parents suffered a heroin overdose.
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