Fentanyl Coverage

Goldsboro coping with seven deaths in 10 days

Goldsboro Mayor Charles Gaylor spoke Monday about seven deaths in the city in a 10-day span.

'It's too high:' Goldsboro mayor addresses 7 deaths in 10 days

Goldsboro Mayor Charles Gaylor spoke Monday about seven deaths in the city in a 10-day span.

Heidi Kirk, WRAL eastern North Carolina reporter

Goldsboro police investigate fifth death in past week

Goldsboro police officers found Bryan Lee Jackson, 42, dead Friday morning at a home on East Ash Street near North Claiborne Street.

WRAL Staff

Dreamville Festival educates 1,700 people on fentanyl overdose prevention

The Dreamville Festival in North Carolina partnered with the nonprofit This Must Be The Place to provide training to 1,700 attendees on how to respond to fentanyl overdoses.

Julian Grace, WRAL anchor/reporter

Goldsboro families seeking answers after 4 found dead, raising concerns over laced drugs

"It's unknown at this time if any drugs collected at the scene of each location, if any, is laced," the Goldsboro police chief said in a statement. "That is part of the ongoing investigations, and it's too soon to say."

Heidi Kirk, WRAL reporter

4 bodies found in Goldsboro raises concerns about fentanyl

"It's unknown at this time if any drugs collected at the scene of each location, if any, is laced," the Goldsboro police chief said in a statement. "That is part of the ongoing investigations, and it's too soon to say."

WRAL staff

Man arrested for possessing a pound of liquid fentanyl in Sanford

During the traffic stop, narcotics agents discovered a liquid fentanyl mixture, marijuana, and fentanyl that was individually wrapped in Brandon Currie's wallet.

Heavenly journey: Message in a bottle floats on to France in tribute of woman who died from Fentanyl

Patricia Drewes decided to write the message. She wrote Heaven's story in a letter, wrapped it in a photo of her and sealed it in a bottle. It was found in France.

Grace Holland, WRAL reporter

Oxford woman's message in a bottle makes it to France

A message in a bottle put out to sea near the South Carolina coastline made it all the way to France, where someone found it and was touched by an Oxford woman's story.

Teen died from accidentally ingesting fentanyl, Franklin Co. Sheriff says

According to the Franklin County Sheriff, 18-year-old Jacob Cope died from accidentally ingesting fentanyl. Cope was found dead on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024.

Teen's death linked to fentanyl, Franklin Co. Sheriff says

18-year-old Jacob Cope died on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024. According to a Facebook post from Franklin County Sheriff Kevin White, Cope died from accidentally ingesting "the tiniest amount of fentanyl."

WRAL staff

New data finds 22 substances found in street drugs since September in Edgecombe County

An Edgecombe County program found a list of 22 substances discovered in street drugs since September. Healthcare professionals are now raising awareness as some users are shocked to hear the discovery.

Heidi Kirk, WRAL eastern North Carolina reporter

Edgecombe County investigation finds 22 hidden substances in street drugs

There have been 22 hidden substances found in street drugs in Edgecombe County since September such as caffeine and fentanyl. A new program is helping fight the problem.

Fentanyl deaths, need for addiction resources continue to grow

According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, there were 2,838 known fentanyl deaths from January-October 2023. It was a 1% increase from the year before, which saw 2,797 deaths during the same time frame.

Recovery professionals push for more addiction resources nationwide

According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, there were 2,838 known fentanyl deaths from January-October 2023. It was a 1% increase from the year before, which saw 2,797 deaths during the same time frame.

Grace Hayba, WRAL health reporter

Fact check: Haley compares U.S. fentanyl deaths to war deaths

Addressing a conference room full of New Hampshire voters, Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley recently shared a grave statistic about the synthetic opioid fentanyl.

Grace Abels, PolitiFact reporter

Calls grow for overdose death prevention medicine to be available in more schools

Should Narcan be more accessible in schools? That's a question the mayor of Apex is raising, on the heels of a House Select Committee he's been invited to speak at. WRAL's Lora Lavigne shares the latest push to save lives.

'This is a public health and safety crisis': Apex mayor aims to make Narcan more available in schools

Narcan has since become available on store shelves and even in vending machines. The uptick has some wondering: Why is it not more available in schools? It's a question Jacques Gilbert, Mayor of Apex, is raising.

Lora Lavigne, WRAL anchor/reporter

2023 child Fentanyl deaths reach record high in North Carolina

Data from the North Carolina Child Fatality Task Force indicates nearly three dozen children under the age of 17 died from fentanyl in 2022.

'We have a problem': Childhood fentanyl deaths in NC hit record high in 2022

Data from the North Carolina Child Fatality Task Force indicates nearly three dozen children under the age of 17 died from fentanyl in 2022.

Brian Murphy, WRAL News

Grandmother charged after infant ingested fentanyl; child is with parents now

According to Roanoke Rapids police, the incident happened on Oct. 21. Officers responded to an unresponsive infant, who they took to the hospital. The child underwent testing, which showed traces of fentanyl in the child's system.

Grandmother arrested Wednesday after fentanyl ingestion by toddler in October

Officers responded to an unresponsive infant in October, who they took to the hospital. The child underwent testing, which showed traces of fentanyl in the child's system. According to authorities, the grandmother, Melissa Ann Johnson, left fentanyl on the floor where the child was able to get to it and ingest it.

WRAL staff

What North Carolina law says about Fentanyl testing strips

A group of students at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill are working together to prevent overdoses and fentanyl poisoning on campus.

Do youth anti-drug campaigns actually work?

Programs at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and in Charlotte use modern slang to communicate a timeless message: Drugs can kill.

The language evolves, but facts are necessary to convince people not to experiment with drugs

Programs at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and in Charlotte use modern slang to communicate a timeless message: Drugs can kill.

Dan Haggerty, WRAL anchor/reporter