During 2016, at least 355 people are suspected of dying from unintentional drug overdoses in Montgomery County, according to coroner records. Although Dayton by far had the most deaths, with 167, more than half of the suspected overdoses in the county occurred outside of the county’s major city.
No part of the county was spared, including Brookville, Centerville, Germantown and Oakwood, among the 22 Montgomery County communities that reported overdose deaths last year.
3 key facts about 2016 Montgomery County overdose deaths:
Vast majority white: More than 80 percent of those confirmed or suspected of dying from an overdose last year were white. Men accounted for 63.4 percent.
More overdoses in single-family homes: Of the 355 deaths in the county, the highest number occurred in single-family homes (150) followed by apartments (79). Sixty-five died in hospitals. One person was reported dead from an overdose in an alley, another on a roadway and another in a parking lot of a funeral home.
Very young to old: The median age of both men and women who died from overdoses last year in Montgomery County was 38.
The youngest was 2-year-old Lee Hayes, who was pronounced dead at a hospital on Sept. 29. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office started an investigation into how the Harrison Twp. toddler got a hold of fentanyl, an extremely potent synthetic opioid, but Sheriff Phil Plummer has said there is too little evidence to build a case.
The oldest is likely an 87-year-old woman from Brookville. Although an overdose is suspected in her death, her case was one awaiting an official determination by Montgomery County Coroner Dr. Kent Harshbarger.
About the Author