St. Tammany Parish Coroner reports three more suspected drug overdoses

ST. TAMMANY PARISH, La. (WGNO) — Three more people have died in St. Tammany Parish from suspected drug overdoses.

Officials suspect the three men overdosed on opioids.

Reports show one of the overdoses happened on Monday (Feb. 6th) in west St. Tammany and the other two on Saturday (Feb. 10th) in Lacombe.

An autopsy will be conducted as well as a toxicology report to determine the official cause of death.

The three recent deaths raises a growing concern from St. Tammany Parish Coroner Dr. Charles Preston. Last week he sounded the alarm about an increase in overdose deaths last Sunday after three other people died of suspected overdose in the parish in a 24 hour period.

“Eleven days into this month, we’ve already had six likely overdose deaths. Substance abuse deaths now outnumber both natural and trauma deaths in the last 11 days. These are 100-percent preventable deaths,” stated Preston.

The corner’s office is advising residents to keep Narcan on hand for those struggling with addiction problems to act as a preventive measure in the event of a drug overdose and to call 988 for those seeking help with addiction.