The desperate family of a mum and son killed by a fentanyl overdose have made a plea for the dealers who sold them the drugs.
Jenny Smith, 37, and her 17-year-old son Joseph were found dead in their beds at their flat on Marmion Road, Sefton Park, on February 22, a few days after concerns had been raised for their safety. Both mother and son had died of a massive overdose of fentanyl, a synthetic painkiller up to 100 times stronger than morphine.
Now Jenny's dad, Joseph's grandad, Malcolm Smith, and his partner Collette have called for better awareness of the drug that claimed the lives of his loved ones. They said: "People do not know or understand the danger with this substance. We believe that how it was described, how it was ingested, proved their naïve nature toward this practice, and told us and the investigators that this was not habitual.
READ MORE: 'Piece of the puzzle missing' as mum and teenage son found dead in flat
"We think that laws could go into effect that will allow distributors of any substance like this that leads to death should be prosecuted for murder. Steps like this are being done in many states in the US. Communities need to report known dealers to help the police better manage the drug trade in their areas.
"If any of Jenny's or Joseph's friends know of the source where they obtained the fentanyl, we would hope that they would help us find justice for them by anonymously giving the police that information."
At Jenny and Joseph's inquest yesterday, September 15, coroner Anita Bhardwaj said it remained unclear why the mother and son took the fentanyl, which was not prescribed to them.
Neither of them had any known history of drug use, and there was no evidence of suspicious circumstances found either at the scene or during their post-mortem examinations.
She said: "We don't know what has happened. There appears to be a piece of the jigsaw that is missing, that we are never going to know, and the only people who did know are Jenny and Joseph."
Malcolm, who lives in America, said: "Both Jenny and Joseph were fun, curious, loving, intelligent, respectful people. Jenny was gregarious, but serious, and would not back down if she felt herself or her family was being taken advantage of.
"Joseph was a brilliant student and loved video games and fishing with his grandad. He had numerous friends, enjoyed sports like basketball, football and running. He helped Jenny look after his nan, Jean, when her health suffered until her passing.
"Joseph was very mature for his young age. An old soul if you will, quiet and mannered - a lovely boy."
He added: "We, along with the rest of family and friends are devastated by their loss and manner of passing. The inquest helped some, but we still have so many questions that are left unanswered."
What is fentanyl - the deadly drug that killed mother and son?
Fentanyl is a powerful, fast-acting opioid used to treat moderate to severe pain.
The drug, which is up to 100 times more powerful than morphine and 10 times more powerful than heroin, has come under scrutiny due to the rapidly increasing abuse of the substance in America. In 2021, fentanyl overdoses accounted for 71,238 recorded deaths in the country - more than any other drug.
Just a tiny amount is enough to kill a healthy adult. Famous victims of fentanyl overdose include famous American musician Prince, rock star Tom Petty, Slipknot bassist Paul Gray, and actor Michael K. Williams.
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