A five-year-old girl in B.C. is expected to recover after overdosing on fentanyl last week.
On March 20, the girl was allegedly having a bath at a house on Nottman Street in Mission and was "handling a jar" containing fentanyl.
She began showing signs of distress, including vomiting and breathing issues, at which point the adults in the house called 911 at 9 p.m. Police confirmed to Glacier Media that the girl's mother and grandmother were present.
"Her condition rapidly deteriorated soon afterwards,” said Cpl. Harrison Mohr.
The girl was unconscious and needed CPR, according to Mission RCMP.
Paramedics arrived at the residence and administered multiple doses of naloxone to counteract the effects of the fentanyl. She was taken to the hospital overnight and police say she is "expected to recover."
Police are issuing a reminder about how "incredibly dangerous the drug can be to people of any age, but especially to children, who would likely have no idea what the substance is if they were to come into contact with it."
People who have fentanyl in their residences should keep it in a secure space.
"Anyone who suspects they or someone around them has come into contact with fentanyl — even through skin contact — should immediately seek medical aid, regardless of whether symptoms have set in," said Mohr.
"Receiving a timely dose of naloxone, as well as further medical care afterwards, is critical to increasing the chances of surviving a fentanyl overdose."
Police are still investigating the incident on Nottman Street.
