AVONDALE, AZ — The City of Avondale and the Maricopa County Attorney's Office partnered Tuesday to host a community discussion on fighting fentanyl. Their hope is to continue providing education to the public about the dangers of the drug.
Some community members even opened up about their own personal loss.
"She was our baby, our last born, we lost her when she was 31. Life has changed forever," said Nancy Snyder, Katie's mother.
The parents of Katie Snyder said she was working on turning her life around, after realizing she was struggling with addiction.
"She came home to live with us while she was trying to straighten herself out. It was just one relapse, one night," said Bill Snyder, Katie's father.
Katie passed away in June of 2022. Her parents were there for her back then and they still are now.
On Tuesday, they shared their daughter's tragic fate during a community forum in Avondale, and their hope is to help save others.
"People need to know that this is a real danger for anybody... no matter your walk in life. Keep your eyes open; be aware of it," said Nancy.
This was the fourth "Fighting Fentanyl Together" forum held by the Maricopa County Attorney's Office. This time, they teamed up with the City of Avondale, along with many other community groups and agencies.
"It's not just a law enforcement solution. Now, it's a community plus law enforcement solution," said Lt. Manuel Rios with the Avondale Police Department.
Avondale police tell ABC15 that most of their drug arrests have been related to fentanyl for the past two years, specifically the counterfeit Percocet pills.
"The danger about it is you don't know how much fentanyl is in it. It can be a low dosage or high dosage which can cause an overdose," said Lt. Rios.
The goal is to educate the entire community, making parents and teachers aware that children are not immune to the dangers.
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County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said they're putting an emphasis on holding fentanyl dealers accountable.
"The reality is the law allows us to look at that now. The problem being, tracing it back to the right person. But my office is looking at those cases, and certainly willing to prosecute those cases in appropriate situations," said Mitchell.
Katie's parents encourage the community to help those struggling and not be afraid to use emergency assistance if needed because it could save a life.
"If we can assist somebody not to have to go through this grief, it's of a benefit," said Bill.
