Update 11:14 a.m. Friday, Aug. 19, 2016: Authorities have released the name of the teenager who died of an apparent heroin overdose in Quinhagak this week and say they are still investigating.
Jamie Roberts, 19, was pronounced dead Monday evening after more than two hours of resuscitation efforts.
Robert’s body has been sent to the State Medical Examiner for autopsy.
Western Alaska Alcohol and Narcotics Team, or WAANT, is in charge of the investigation.
Two men also overdosed that night and were medevaced to Bethel for treatment. Both have been discharged.
A fourth overdose was treated on site.
Quinhagak responds to a series of apparent heroin overdoses
Original post 4 p.m. Aug. 17, 2016: One of the men from Quinhagak’s four apparent heroin overdoses earlier this week has returned to the village.
The other man has not yet returned. The third person, a woman, is dead. The fourth person was treated on site.
Earlier reports stated three overdoses, but as of Wednesday afternoon, Trooper spokesman Tim DeSpain said four overdoses happened within the same timeframe.
Quinhagak tribal administrator Patrick Cleveland said one right after the other, three people apparently overdosed on heroin Monday evening.
“The first person that was found was unresponsive,” Cleveland said. “Not breathing, lips had turned blue and had to be revived with CPR.”
A medevac picked up the man, and before the aircraft could land in Bethel, another overdose was called in. When the medevac brought the second man to Bethel, word of the third overdose reached them, but that person was already dead.
“The young lady that passed, I think she was just out of high school, and the two men are late 20s, early 30s,” said Cleveland.
The deceased was 19 years old, DeSpain said. Her body has been taken to Anchorage for autopsy.
The fourth person, DeSpain said was treated in the village and not flown out. When the fourth overdose occurred hasn’t been released.
Cleveland said that in the 700-person village, no one is unaffected by the tragedy.
“I mean it pretty much shocked the whole community,” Cleveland said.
The overdoses have ignited anger at the drug dealers and a drive for change.
Michelle Matthew with the City of Quinhagak is organizing a community meeting for 5 p.m. today at the school gym to discuss the issue of drugs in the community and what people can do about it. Her expectations for the gathering run high.
“I hope people get a sense of hope and fearlessness, because that’s what’s driving these drugs to run amok in our villages,” she said. “Because people are afraid to speak up, and now we are.”
Matthew said the tribe is discussing placing extra security measures at its tribally-owned airport, something that she said has been brought up in the past.
The WAANT Trooper division — the Western Alaska Alcohol and Narcotics Team — is in town investigating the overdoses, and a team from Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation is expected to arrive today to debrief first responders and families.
