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Police: 11-year-old ran across busy street to find help for overdosed father

Posted at 6:34 PM, Aug 22, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-23 00:21:48-04

NORWOOD, Ohio -- There were no overdoses at Karl Bolin's house Tuesday, he said in court Wednesday morning.

His 11-year-old son had not run across Hunter Avenue in tears, wailing to a family friend that, "They're dead, they're dead, they're dead."

He certainly didn't need multiple doses of naloxone to regain consciousness from where he lay, slumped, near girlfriend Charlotte Rook and a trove of more than 30 used syringes.

Police and the man who revived the pair said differently.

"It took them three minutes to wake up, and (Bolin) had no clue what had even happened," said neighbor Jeff Lilly, who had naloxone on hand when Bolin's son burst into his home. "I'm two and a half years sober, and all that does is make me want to stay sober even more."

Bolin, who faces charges of possessing drugs and endangering children, was one of 12 people who overdosed between Sunday morning and Tuesday evening in Hamilton County's second-largest city.  

Lt. Ron Murphy said the sudden spike was likely attributable to a batch of heroin that had been cut with other, stronger opioids and sold to unprepared users.

"Heroin users, you know, kind of have an idea of what they can use, so it was probably either mixed with fentanyl or just a stronger batch," he said.

He and the rest of the Norwood Police department hope they've seen the end of it, he added. 

Bolin, who remained in jail Wednesday night while his son stayed with family, repeatedly swore at Judge Ted Berry and denied the charges filed against him. 

"Who am I going to believe?" Berry demanded. "Am I going to believe an addict or am I going to believe the prosecutor?"