ST. LOUIS — A woman has been charged after at least seven people fatally overdosed in St. Louis’ Central West End neighborhood since Saturday.
Chuny Ann Reed was charged with distribution of crack cocaine base and fentanyl, which led to several overdoses, according to an affidavit. About a week later, a grand jury upheld the initial charges and added an additional charge, distribution of cocaine base and fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury to another person.
Seven people died from suspected fentanyl overdoses in a two-block section of Forest Park Avenue, between Taylor and Boyle. Emergency responders were first called there at about 3 a.m. Saturday.
Police Tuesday said the victims who died included:
- Man, unknown age
- Woman, unknown age
- 2 men in their 40s
- 2 men in their 50s
- A man in his 60s
Two other men also suspected of overdosing were taken to a hospital but survived. Police said one man is in his 50s and the other is in his 60s. The majority of the calls for service were made within a roughly 10.5-hour window.
According to a press release from the U.S. attorney for the eastern district of Missouri, surveillance video showed a man entering Reed's apartment then leaving minutes later to return to his own apartment. He was later found dead inside the apartment. A pipe with trace amounts of a suspected controlled substance was also found in the apartment, the release said.
St. Louis Fire Capt. Garon Mosby said two members of the fire department were also treated and released at an area hospital after being exposed to or contaminated by an unknown opioid.
On Monday, St. Louis police and DEA agents raided the Parkview Apartments on 4451 Forest Park Ave., one of the apartment buildings where the overdoses occurred.
Court records show Reed previously pleaded guilty in 1997 to possession of a controlled substance. She also was served an eviction notice at an apartment in the 4400 block of Forest Park Avenue in 2019 but was able to stay after paying past-due bills.
RELATED: St. Louis police, DEA agents raid Central West End apartment building in overdose investigation
This is a developing story. It will be updated as more information becomes available.