3 arrested in Lafourche teens' overdoses, including 1 death, from suspected fentanyl pills

Three men face charges in connection with two Galliano teens' overdoses, including one death, that authorities say they suspect involved fentanyl pills that looked like other drugs.

Anthony Francis, 21, of Cut Off, was arrested Monday on a charge of distribution of a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office said Tuesday.

Blayne Terrebonne, 18, of Larose, and Sergio Perez, 18, of Cut Off, were arrested on the same charge following the discovery of the two overdoses Thursday, the Sheriff's Office said in a news release.

Shortly before 4:30 a.m., deputies responded to a Galliano home after receiving a call that a 16-year-old boy was showing signs of a possible overdose, the Sheriff's Office said. After being given two doses of Narcan, the boy regained consciousness and was taken to a hospital, where he later recovered.

Less than three hours later, deputies responded to a call at another Galliano home where a 15-year-old girl was found dead of a suspected drug overdose, according to the Sheriff's Office. Investigators determined the two incidents were related.

Investigators suspect the teens ingested a pill pressed from pure fentanyl or a fentanyl mixture, according to the release. The pills were blue in color with the letter “M” imprinted on one side. Investigators also believe the 15-year-old girl thought she was taking Percocet.

“When you use a drug you bought off the street, you are –quite literally– risking your life,” Sheriff Craig Webre said. “You are taking the word of a drug dealer on what the substance is. The question to ask yourself is whether the high you are seeking is worth dying over.”

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Webre also urged parents to take a more active role in the lives of their children and be cognizant of the role social media play in drug transactions.

“We’ve repeatedly seen teens using apps like Snapchat to purchase and even advertise drugs for sale,” Webre said. “This doesn’t mean every child using the app is taking drugs, but it does mean you need to monitor what your children are doing and who they are talking to. This is not an invasion of privacy or being a helicopter parent – it’s just called being a good parent.’”

The investigation is continuing, and additional arrests are possible, the Sheriff's Office said.

Residents can report any drug-related or suspicious activity to Lt. Derek Champagne, Narcotics Section commander, at 532-4365 or derek-champagne@lpso.net. Information can also be reported anonymously through Crime Stoppers Bayou Region at 1-800-743-7433, CrimeStoppersBR.org or via the Bayou Tips app on mobile devices.

This article originally appeared on Daily Comet: 3 men charged in teens' drug overdoses, including 1 death