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Overdose deaths are No. 1, coroner says

Posted at 1:28 PM, Feb 25, 2016
and last updated 2016-02-26 06:11:53-05

HAMILTON, Ohio – Drug overdoses were the most common cause of death in cases accepted by the Butler County Coroner’s Office last year, according to data released Thursday.

Of the 420 cases investigated by the coroner’s office during 2015, 189 deaths were caused by drug overdoses. That was a 38 percent increase from 2014.

The coroner’s office only examines deaths that are suspicious or possibly have a non-natural cause, so not every death in the county is included.

Most of the overdose deaths – 79 percent – involved heroin and/or fentanyl.

 

"The coroner's office is the last stop on a very bad journey that these people have been on," Coroner Lisa Mannix said.

It comes down to Mannix to inform the families. It's a tough conversation to have, even after she's had similar ones hundreds of times.

"Their death is the final stop for them, but their families are still devastated," Mannix said.

The coroner's office also investigated 122 deaths which were found to be natural, eight homicides, 41 suicides, 21 deaths caused by traffic crashes, 24 caused by other accidents and 15 deaths with undetermined causes.

Click here for a list of resources for help get off heroin.