Fentanyl exposure eyed in death of girl, age 11  | Haverhill

Exposure to fentanyl, a manmade opioid, may have killed a Haverhill girl, age 11, who became ill at a Lawrence apartment house early Saturday morning. 

“Exposure to toxic substances, including fentanyl, is always something investigators look at when someone dies suddenly and unexpectedly,” said Carrie Kimball Monahan, spokeswoman for the office of District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett’s office.

The girl, Precious Wallaces, who lived in Haverhill and was a sixth-grader at Consentino Middle School, was pronounced dead at Tufts Medical Center on Tuesday night.

Precious had been in a coma and on life support prior to her death, which is now being investigated by Lawrence detectives and state troopers assigned to Blodgett’s office. 

The girl had been visiting her uncle at 233 Jackson St., unit 5, in Lawrence, according to police. 

At 3:29 a.m. Saturday, rescuers went to the Lawrence address where the girl was found unresponsive, authorities said. 

Precious was taken to Lawrence General Hospital and later airlifted to Tufts Medical Center in Boston.

Fentanyl, often a cause of overdose deaths, is a synthetic opioid that is 80-100 times stronger than morphine. The drug is at times combined or confused for the illegal street drug heroin. 

The drug was developed for pain management in cancer treatment and due to its powerful opioid properties is also abused, according to information on the drug posted by the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Lawrence Police Chief Roy Vasque said the investigation into the girl’s death would be exhaustive and thorough. 

“We are looking at everything and anything and not ruling out anything at this time,” he said. 

Lawrence Mayor Daniel Rivera said he was also anxious to learn more about the girl’s death. 

“If the district attorney’s office thinks this was caused by fentanyl, I’d really like to know that and get the whole story on how this was caused,” Rivera said. 

Rivera said he wanted to know more about what hazards the girl may have encountered, “how this could be prevented and who was responsible,” he added. 

Police said the girl and her brother routinely visited an uncle who lived the apartment building at 233 Jackson St. A glass door on the building reads “Magnolia Manor.” 

The name “Miguel Rivera” was listed on a mailbox for unit 5. Two signs regarding surveillance video on the property are posted on the front porch. 

Police said there are numerous one-room apartments in the building. 

City records list the property as an apartment house with 9 bedrooms. Owned by Durso Properties of Andover, the white, vinyl-sided building is currently valued at $553,000. 

A woman named Cathie Rivera, who identified herself as the girl’s aunt, started a GoFundMe page on Sunday night to raise money for funeral expenses. 

On the GoFundMe page, the girl’s aunt wrote: “Precious has touched many people’s heart and is loved by many.”

Precious Wallaces was among several students recognized in a 2016 Eagle-Tribune story for contributing to improved math and reading test scores at Haverhill’s Tilton School.

Emotional scene at school 

In Haverhill, the Consentino School library became a focal point for counseling services offered to students who are grieving the loss of Precious. 

Principal John Mele said on Wednesday morning that there were many sixth graders taking advantage of the services offered.

“Two of our own counselors are helping with support groups in the library that we set up there and two others are supporting the children and teachers in the two classrooms Precious attended,” he said. “A few students came up to me this morning to express their sadness, and I tried to comfort them and I referred them to counselors. They can stay in the library as long as they need and we have offices available to them if they want privacy.”

Mele said the counselors were engaging students in the library in various activities, such as drawing as well as encouraging them to talk about their relationship with the girl.

“It’s pretty emotional in there,” Mele said. “Teachers are very cognizant of the emotional needs of children, and if they express a need to speak to someone, we have resources available to the entire school.”

Mele said School Superintendent Margaret Marotta visited Consentino and indicated counseling services would be available for as long as needed.

Haverhill Mayor James Fiorentini dropped by as well and spoke with a few students.

“The city of Haverhill sends its condolences to the family of Precious Wallaces,” Fiorentini said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with the family during this Christmas season.”

Mele said he expects counselors will also be available to students and staff on Thursday and Friday, which is a half-day.

On Tuesday evening, after she was notified of the girl’s death, Marotta sent out a message to the Consentino community.

“As we open our schools, our students will be faced with this tragic news and will begin to cope with the inevitable grief that comes with losing a classmate and friend,” she told parents. “As a school system, we will be offering counseling and bereavement support services to all our students and staff, particularly those who knew Precious well at the Consentino and Tilton Schools.”

Marotta encouraged parents to talk to their children about how the loss of a friend can be a difficult and challenging situation that can generate a high level of anxiety and distress.

“Children often have limited experience coping with a loss like this and may be confused as to how to handle grief,” Marotta told parents. “Hearing the news from a loved one, accompanied by reassuring words and the opportunity to voice fears and sadness, can provide great comfort to both children and adults when facing a loss.”

Marotta also sent parents links to resources from Riverside Trauma Center to support them in the difficult days to come.

She said staff from Riverside Trauma Center will be available to families by phone as requested and told parents that she would be reaching out to them to share information about services as that information becomes available.