This Washington Post headline, “Their toddler took a nap in an Airbnb — and fentanyl killed her” is what nightmares are made of. As a parent myself, reading this story and writing about it is extremely difficult but there’s a very important Public Service Announcement (PSA) here that every parent and dog owner should be aware of. RELATED: Here’s the Emoji Drug Codes Kids Use to Communicate
In 2021, a family rented an Airbnb in Wellington, Florida. A few hours after checking in, their 19-month-old baby girl Enora was dead from an apparent overdose of fentanyl. Fentanyl been all over the news the last couple of years and according to the CDC, “Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine.” They also say that the “most recent cases of fentanyl-related overdose are linked to illicitly manufactured fentanyl, which is distributed through illegal drug markets for its heroin-like effect. It is often added to other drugs because of its extreme potency, which makes drugs cheaper, more powerful, more addictive, and more dangerous.”
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I wrote a PSA about this a few months ago because dealers are making “these drugs brightly colored like chalk and candy, potentially making them more attractive to children and young people. Although these substances may resemble candy, don’t be fooled—they are deadly. It is important for parents to be aware of this new fentanyl disguise and to keep it away from children.” This is a direct quote from Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
According to the Washington Post, “No one knows how little Enora got hold of the synthetic opioid, which has besieged the nation’s drug supply and is so potent that a small amount can kill. Investigators were not able to find any evidence of the fentanyl anywhere else in the vacation rental. Police had suspected her parents, the family said. But investigators did not find drugs among their belongings, and Lydie and Boris tested negative, according to police reports. Investigators tried to question previous renters, including one who admitted to throwing a party where there was cocaine. But nothing tied those drugs to what killed Enora.”
RELATED: Why You Shouldn’t Smoke Pot or Do Drugs Before Leaving the United States
The family is suing Airbnb but what all parents and dog owners should take away from this devastating tragedy is that whenever you check into a house rental or hotel, always search the ground for pills. I’ve found pills multiple times, though I don’t think any were Fentanyl. Regardless, we all know how little kids and dogs are, they eat pretty much anything they can get their hands on. This is precisely why I wouldn’t let my 90-year-old father take his own pills when he spent the night at our house because we have very young children and he would oftentimes drop a pill. So I took control, put the pills in a small clear shot glass and fed them to him myself so I was completely sure that none would end up on the floor and in the mouths of our babies.
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Interesting article
Johnny,
I wanted to say how much you mean to us your fans. You are a man of high standards
and a kiond man to the core. Want to wish you, your family, your father, and your extended family all the best. Miss you on Leo’s weekend show every week.
I look forward to your great email letters and your carefully chosen articles that save lives.
All The Best
RustyBones
Thanks, Rusty. I appreciate it
For many, many years, if checking into a hotel room with my dogs, I first get on my hands and knees and look under and behind all the furniture for stray items which may be harmful, because people drop things and hotel room cleaning is not very thorough. I have not found pills but I did find a chicken bone which might well have killed one of my dogs. After I declare the room safe, I let them out of their crates and they immediately run behind and under all the furniture. They may come out covered with cobwebs, but they have never been injured by staying in a hotel room.