TULSA, Okla. — Leaning up against the county courthouse fence, countless faces, frozen in time, beaming through their dedicated posters.
Those faces serve as a reminder of the effects of illicit drug use.
“I never thought this could happen to my child," said Michelle Shannon.
Her daughter Meagan's battle with addiction began when she was in high school.
“It started as a sports injury when she was sixteen, fractured her back in three places, doctors didn’t want to do surgery because of her age," said Shannon. "So they introduced her to Oxycodone for the pain.”
Meagan struggled as she tried to manage her pain but was able to achieve her goal of making it to college.
When she moved home after graduation, though, is when Shannon said her daughter's addiction really came to a head.
Meagan was seeing a pain specialist while also struggling with pill use.
“Which led us to April 2018 when a friend gave her something that turned out to be 100% fentanyl," said Shannon. "There was evidence that her friend was aware that it was laced with something because there was evidence in the phone, someone warning him that that was a bad batch and that he really shouldn't give it to anyone... But he did anyways."
Her daughter's dealer was prosecuted by District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler and received a sentence of 60 years behind bars.
"We did get some justice but it still doesn’t bring her back. It doesn’t change the fact that… that it’s heartbreaking," said Shannon. "The heart break will always be there.”
Kunzweiler said he's been to all of these rallies, and it's a shock to see the amount of pictures growing.
“I would have hoped that the first year would have been enough," said Kunzweiler. "We really need our city leaders and our legislators and our schools to be taking a much more aggressive posture on this.”
The D.A. hopes for more concentrated legislation next year to help law enforcement test for drugs in the field immediately.
Kunzweiler said he would love to be able to enhance the medical examiner's office to expedite their results process.
- PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Overdose through the eyes of a survivor
Through the group 'Families Supporting Families,' Shannon now shares her daughters story, desperate to prevent more unnecessary tragedy.
The grieving mother's biggest takeaway is for parents to take action now.
“I found her that day, on a Sunday morning I came in and found her and I started CPR on her but what if I had had that Narcan? You know, maybe I could have saved her life. If nothing else, I just hope parents listen to that part."
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