NEW JERSEY – The fentanyl overdose of five women in the parking lot of an upscale New Jersey mall where they all worked for a day was an isolated incident, authorities said, sharing an update on the survey Thursday.
One of the women remained hospitalized in serious condition, while three others were discharged. The fifth victim refused to receive medical treatment at the scene, Hackensack police said. Officers responding to a 911 call found them all lying on the lower floor of the parking lot in the Shops at Riverside, without answering. Each was revived with Narcan.
The women are between 29 and 41 years old. No other details were released other than that they worked at the mall.
It was unclear how they ingested the potentially deadly drug (fentanyl is up to 100 times more potent than heroin) or if they knew it was fentanyl. The opioid can be used to mix drugs such as cocaine or heroin to produce a stronger high, authorities said. Tests on the substance they ingested to determine its components are pending.
Investigators said mall operations were back to normal and no customers were affected, in addition to seeing a busy scene in the parking lot on Wednesday afternoon. There was no word on possible criminal charges.
Hackensack Mayor John Labrosse has condemned the drug scourge that he says has gripped too many American communities.
“It’s really heartbreaking to see the terrible toll caused by these dangerous and illicit substances,” Labrosse said. “My office has been working closely with law enforcement since this tragic incident was first reported, and we will continue to provide the necessary support to emergency services and the rest of the community as long as the situation continues. will continue.” .
The investigation, which is being led by the Hackensack Police Department, the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office and the Bergen County District Attorney’s Office, is ongoing.
Fentanyl is considered one of the deadliest illicit drugs, 50 to 100 times more potent than heroin and likely driving a wave of opioid overdoses and deaths across the United States these last years.
In January, a 57-year-old high school teacher in Westfield, New Jersey, overdosed in front of his students, authorities said. He was transported unconscious from the scene. There were no updates available on his condition on Thursday.