ENCINITAS, Calif., (KGTV) — Law enforcement agencies all around San Diego are working to find out if there are any more overdoses tied to mysterious blue pills that killed four people in East County this week. The pills are advertised as having a "painkiller high."
An Encinitas mother, Lisa Nava was watching 10News this morning when she found out about the mysterious blue pills. She recognized them as the same pills her son took before he died three months ago.
The memories of her son make her laugh. But the way he died brings Nava to tears.
"Your biggest job in your life is to protect your child. I couldn't protect mine," Nava cried.
Last year, her son Alex Morgan Nava had a skateboarding accident. He broke his knee, then his ankle. Doctors prescribed him oxycodone for this pain. Little did he know that would lead to an opioid addiction that would eventually kill him.
On April 5, 2019, her Alex died of an accidental drug overdose. He was 24 years old. The last three months have been hell for the Nava family. But Friday morning, she saw a particular report on 10News.
It was 10News anchor Virginia Cha saying, "Deputies connected some blue pills to the deaths of four people and just 24 hours."
She immediately recognized the "blue pills." They were the same pills she confiscated from her son earlier this year.
"I had to flush them down the toilet, and that was in January. They were those M-30's. The blue pills," Nava vividly remembered.
Since then, the Nava family worked together to help Alex. They took him to the emergency room on multiple occasions. They sent him to a 30-day rehab facility. But Alex was too hooked.
"He just made a wrong turn and couldn't turn around. He ran out of time," Nava said.
His cause of death was 'Acute polydrug intoxication: Combined effects of acetaminophen and fentanyl-- The tiniest dose of one of the deadliest drugs.
"We thought he would be one of the lucky ones. But we didn't know that we were dealing with fentanyl," Nava cried.
According to the Health and Human Services, around 130 people in America die of opioid overdoses every day. Alex is now one of them. But Nava says your loved one does not have to be if you are vigilant.
"You never know the last time you were going to see your child," Nava said. "Even the best most advantage children fall victim to these addictions. Check in on them. It's not anything to be casual about. This is an emergency."
10News asked all the neighboring law enforcement agencies to see if they found any cases of Blue pill overdoses or deaths. Most of them said they are looking into it. Other said they have not. We are still waiting to hear back from National City, Chula Vista, La Mesa, and Escondido.
