8 overdose deaths reported in Will County in 24 hours

WILL COUNTY, Ill. - A community safety alert has been issued in Will County after eight probable overdose deaths were reported in less than 24 hours.

The Will County Coroner's Office says the deaths were reported on Monday and Tuesday of this week.

"We got to do something. We are wiping out a generation of people," said Will County Coroner Laurie Summers, who adds her morgue is currently full.

The overdoses, all separate incidents, occurred in Wilmington, New Lenox, Lockport and Joliet. Summers says the ages of the victims range from 28 to 70-years-old.

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"In years past, it’s been building to this — building, building, building," said Summers. "It’s always the heroin and fentanyl and sometimes cocaine, now it is pretty much fentanyl and cocaine."

That’s how Robin Anderson’s daughter died last July.

"But it's not an accident. She was poisoned by fentanyl," said Robin Anderson.

Raven Charity Littlejohn, 37-years-old, was found dead in Joliet. Now, her mother is fighting for her death to be ruled a drug-induced homicide.

"So put whatever you want on the drug, because the police are not holding the people accountable for giving people this fentanyl crap," said Anderson.

Joliet police tell FOX 32 they continue to investigate Raven's case and have completed several interviews.

A warning from Will County officials to first responders and hospitals this week said: "…it is believed that street drugs are being laced with lethal doses of fentanyl."

"There are festivals coming up. We have a festival this weekend, the hospitals need to know, first responders need to know, everyone needs to know, be on the lookout because this could be happening," said Summers.

These current cases will take weeks to confirm if they are bonafide drug poisonings.

Of the 47 confirmed overdose deaths this year in Will County, 41 have involved heroin and fentanyl. There were 111 for all of 2021.