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Fentanyl exposure at county jail sends officer to the hospital

Sangamon Co. Jail
Sangamon County

A correctional officer at the Sangamon County Jail had a reaction to contraband that sent the individual to the hospital.

Authorities said they arrested Samantha Witty Thursday on a charge of domestic battery. They said Witty was being processed at the jail when a body scan was conducted that detected an object resembling a bottle in her genital area. Witty denied having any items of contraband on her person.

During a pat down, they said a bottle fell from her pant leg.
 
The officer unwrapped the plastic surrounding the bottle and discovered a white substance. That’s when the officer began experiencing shortness of breath. Other employees administered NARCAN.

The officer was treated and released at the hospital. An initial test determined the substance contained fentanyl. Additional charges are pending.

According to the CDC, fentanyl depresses central nervous system and respiratory function. Exposure to fentanyl may be fatal. Fentanyl is estimated to be 80 times as potent as morphine and hundreds of times more potent than heroin.

Sangamon County officials warned this summer about a dramatic rise in fentanyl overdoses. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, overdose deaths have skyrocketed in the past decade.

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