Woman charged under new Alabama law for fentanyl that caused man’s death, deputies say
An Alabama woman is charged after investigators determined she gave fentanyl to a 54-year-old man which caused his death, a sheriff’s office said.
This arrest comes on the heels of a new state manslaughter law, which the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office said took effect in April. The law states that a person commits manslaughter if they sell or distribute a controlled substance containing Fentanyl and the recipient dies.
Deputies responded to an overdose in Elkmont — about a 45-mile drive northwest from Huntsville — just before 8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26, where they found Lawrence Ward Light dead, the sheriff’s office said in an Oct. 27 news release.
An investigation determined that Rebecca Jane Myrick, 60, had given Light fentanyl which ultimately caused his death, officials said. Authorities later found more fentanyl and drug paraphernalia in the home where the overdose was reported.
Myrick was taken to the Limestone County Jail on charges of Manslaughter, Unlawful Distribution of Controlled Substances and Possession of Controlled Substance, according to records.
“We are witnessing an increase in Fentanyl overdoses, and it’s critical to recognize that those pushing this poison are endangering not only those struggling with addition but our entire community,” the sheriff’s office said.
According to state records, there were 17 overdose related EMS incidents in Limestone county between January and March 2024 and 67 incidents in 2023.
The US opioid crisis
Overdoses are a leading cause of injury-related death in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In 2022, there were 107,941 drug overdose deaths in the country, according to CDC data. Of those deaths, 81,806 involved opioids, experts said.
“For every drug overdose that results in death, there are many more nonfatal overdoses, each one with its own emotional and economic toll,” the CDC said. “This fast-moving epidemic does not distinguish among age, sex, or state or county lines.”
Millions of people in the U.S. have an opioid addiction, according to the CDC. Addiction is a “chronic and relapsing disease that can affect anyone.”
This story was originally published October 27, 2024 at 3:30 PM with the headline "Woman charged under new Alabama law for fentanyl that caused man’s death, deputies say."
