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Dear Editor:
A disturbing photograph of a child with his grandmother and her friend who nearly overdosed due to heroin in East Liverpool has made national headlines and put a face on the ongoing heroin epidemic.
The vehicle was stopped by the police due to erratic driving. The two individuals in the front seat, James Lee Acord and Rhonda L. Pasek, were revived by EMTs. Acord has been sentenced to 360 days in jail due to driving under the influence and endangering a child. Pasek, the boy’s grandmother, pleaded not guilty to charges of disorderly conduct, endangering a child, and not wearing a seat belt. Sentenced 180 days.
The boy’s great aunt and uncle have been granted custody of the child. His identity has remained unknown to protect his innocence.
According to the National Institute of Health, heroin deaths have grown from 1,878 a year in 2004, to 10,574 in 2014. A record 3,050 people died of heroin overdose in Ohio alone last year – up 20.5 percent from 2014, according to the Ohio Department of Health.
As Democratic candidate for State Representative, I see the horror of the image and how it is not merely an isolated incident. This problem is not new to our district. Our law enforcement and health professionals are struggling to keep up with the ever-growing drug problem and doing the best they can with limited or no resources.
There are likely many factors that weigh into the use of narcotics. The current economic situation likely leads people to find escapes from the hardships of life.
Our elected officials have failed to properly address this epidemic, but like to boast about their $2 billion rainy day fund. It’s heartbreaking for the child to have go through this type of trauma. I hope his new home will be a safer and happier place.
John Dyce
Hanoverton