Families who lost loved ones to fentanyl gather in Williamson County

Families affected by fentanyl gather

Families who lost loved ones to fentanyl gathered in Williamson County to mark National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day.

GEORGETOWN, Texas - On National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day, family members who have lost loved ones to fentanyl gathered at the Williamson County Courthouse to warn others about the dangers of the drug.

"We're coming after you and you won't see us coming because they don't look like me," Sheriff Mike Gleason said.

That’s his message to the drug dealers killing people, many of whom are teenagers.

"We have some of these guys and girls, these dealers, they have 3, 4, 5, 9 bodies attached to them," Sheriff Gleason said.

Williamson County reports at least 29 fentanyl poisoning deaths and Travis County reports at least 14 deaths related to fentanyl this year.

"We're doing it for the living children. We want parents to not be us," Stefanie Turner, who lost her son to a fentanyl poisoning said.

Williamson County joins fentanyl task force

Local officials are ramping up efforts to address the recent rise in fentanyl overdoses. The Williamson County Sheriff's Office is joining with other law enforcement to form the Central Texas Task Force Overdose Investigation Team.

A couple of months ago, the Sheriff’s Office and other local officials formed the Central Texas Task Force Overdose Investigation Team. The purpose of the unit is to prosecute those accused of distributing the drug and offer rehabilitation services to community members.

RELATED COVERAGE

"When someone comes to me, there's no, no because either I get you in rehab because we've partnered with Blue Bonnet Trails, we've partnered with Rise Recovery, and they will scholarship all of your rehab that you want. So, you can't say I'm not going to tell you who my drug dealer is, but I want you to make me better. If you don't tell me who your drug dealer is, I'll prosecute you and I'll get you a lot more years at the state level and at the federal level with the DEA," Sheriff Gleason said.

Organizations like A Change For Cam and Texas Against Fentanyl are dedicated to educating others about the dangers of fentanyl, after the founders lost their sons to the deadly drug.

Death of local teen from fentanyl overdose now part of warning

Billboards went up Wednesday morning that include a heartbreaking message, "if you don't think fentanyl kills, just ask his mom."

"Parents don't understand the dangers of it because we haven't lived it, but our kids have access to something that parents aren't educated on," Turner said.

The angel families, or families who have lost loved ones to fentanyl, are encouraging others to spread the word to save a life.