SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - A new law will require coroners and medical examiners to report any high levels of fentanyl found in an autopsy to law enforcement and the Department of Public Health.
While reporting this is common practice in Sangamon County, coroner Jim Allmon said the law will ensure every county is following the same process.
"In 2023, for 62% of our overdoses in Sangamon County, fentanyl was the common denominator in those overdoses," said Allmon. "But there may be a lot of counties out there that aren't breaking down the toxicology results and counting the amount of fentanyl deaths that they've had in their county and reporting those to their local law enforcement or their lawmakers. So this is important."
Allmon said following this process has allowed him to see just how much of an impact fentanyl has had in the county. Each year since 2019, the number of accidental overdoses in the county has increased to record numbers. In 2019, there were 38 deaths. In 2020, there were 53 deaths. In 2021, there were 60 deaths. In 2022, there were 74 deaths. In 2023, there were 82 deaths. And through the middle of November in 2024, there have been 89 accidental overdoses in the county.
"They're not just numbers, all of these accidental overdoses that we deal with every year are that's somebody's mom, dad, son, daughter," said Allmon.
The coroner said with the expedited reporting timeline, investigators should be able to track down those selling fentanyl more quickly. Public Act 103-0842 will hopefully bring justice to hundreds of family members who feel their loved ones weren't given a fair chance.
"When we talk to these families they feel that their loved ones were not given an even playing field," said Allmon. "They thought that they were getting Xanax, they thought that they were getting cocaine or methamphetamine, and unfortunately, they got something laced with fentanyl."
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