Pubdate: Wed, 23 Jul 2003 Source: Lincoln Journal, The (WV) Contact: 2003 The Lincoln Journal. Website: http://www.lincolnjournal.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1816 Author: Fred Pace, Managing Editor MOTHER SPEAKS OUT FOLLOWING DAUGHTER'S APPARENT DRUG OVERDOSE HAMLIN - A Lincoln County mother is urging state authorities and parents to do more in the fight against illegal drugs following her daughter's apparent death from a drug overdose in Huntington on July 11. Deborah Lovejoy, of Hamlin, said attending the funeral services of her 23-year-old daughter, Alicia Fae Berry, was the most painful experience of her life. Despite being addicted to drugs, Alicia Fae Berry tried to be the best mother she could be, according to her mother, Deborah Lovejoy. "I feel like I could have done more to save my daughter," Lovejoy said. "I'm feeling a lot of guilt. I guess any mother in my position would feel the same. I don't want any mother to have to go through what I am going through right now. It's a horrible feeling." According to initial investigations, Alicia Fae Berry appeared to have overdosed from a possible combination of drugs, including methamphetamine, according to her mother. "I have heard rumors of meth, cocaine and morphine patches as the cause of her death, but we haven't gotten a toxicology report yet," Lovejoy said. "What drugs actually caused her death will not be known until we get that report. However, the police have told me in the past that they believed my daughter was addicted to meth." "When she was pregnant, not using and had her son, she was the happiest person in the world," her mom said. Illegal use of morphine patches is somewhat of a new drug trend, police said, but methamphetamine has become an epidemic in southern West Virginia, according to state and federal officials. The illegal drug, also known as "Meth" or "Crystal Meth," has become one of the most widely used illicit drugs in Lincoln County, according to local law enforcement officials. Meth labs have been found all over the state in mobile homes, barns, storage buildings and even the trunks and back seats of automobiles. Alicia Fae Berry was apparently caught up in the new trend to use methamphetamine. Meth is made by mixing and cooking different chemicals and substances together using laboratory equipment. The clandestine labs are highly explosive and the finished product is a white powder that is usually snorted through the nose. It is highly addictive and drastically alters a person's behavior and personality, medical experts report. "My daughter was involved in a world of drugs that I knew nothing about," Lovejoy said. "She was apparently involved with some bad people." Rumors had even went around Hamlin that Berry was murdered because of her knowledge in a federal drug case. Berry was supposed to testify in a federal drug case, but the defense and prosecution reached a plea bargain agreement, Lovejoy said. "I don't think she was murdered, but I wouldn't rule out anything when it comes to drug dealers," Lovejoy said. Berry allegedly was found dead in a building on 13th Avenue in Huntington. This area is known as a heavy drug trafficking area, according to police. "My daughter was left alone to die by the other drug users who were there," Lovejoy said. "They only cared about not getting in trouble and did nothing to save her. It is so sad the way she died. She didn't deserve to die that way." Lovejoy said her daughter came from a dysfunctional home. "I made the mistake of trying to be my daughter's friend," she said. "I should have given her more discipline. There are a lot of mothers in Lincoln County that live in denial. They don't want to admit their kids are involved with illegal drugs. Don't make my mistake. Get involved with your children. Don't worry about if they are going to be mad or not, because now I don't have my daughter around anymore. Learn about these drugs and do anything it takes to keep your child alive." Lovejoy said her daughter's life was like a roller-coaster ride with many ups and many downs. She attributes her daughter's unstable life to her drug addiction. "When she was pregnant, not using and had her son, she was the happiest person in the world," Lovejoy said. "Then she would go through depression, use again and then would want to try to straighten her life up. But once she got on that meth stuff, she really had trouble keeping it together." Lovejoy said her daughter was always trying to better her life, but drugs always seemed to always get in the way. "She was a good mother to her son," Lovejoy said. "She never did drugs around him and always made sure he was taken care of. She wanted to get her life back in order, but I know she was always thinking about what was best for her son." Lovejoy's tragic story on the loss of her daughter is one that is being lived out everyday across the nation. "No one is immune to drugs," says Dr. Acquavella, who gives out advise over the Internet to parents for the American Council for Drug Education. "You can be the best parent, your kid can be the best kid, you can have a wonderful relationship, and he can just be in the wrong place at the wrong time and start something." However, certain groups of kids, like Alicia, seem more prone to using drugs than others use. One powerful predictor for drug use is having friends who use drugs. The best way to combat this is to know your child's friends and their parents, Dr. Acquavella said. "Get involved in the schools, and know what's going on," suggests Dr. Acquavella. "Know your neighborhood, because different places have different trends in drug use. If your child's school runs an antidrug program, get involved. You might learn something!" Kids who are isolated from the mainstream for example, those from dysfunctional homes, without a mother or father, or kids who are depressed or have been abused, are also more likely to use drugs. Pay attention to how your kids are feeling and get them medical treatment promptly if they need it, the doctor suggests. "A warm, open family environment, where kids are encouraged to talk about their feelings, where their achievements are praised and their self-esteem bolstered will encourage kids to come forward with their questions and concerns," says Dr. Acquavella. "It sounds schmaltzy, but it's true. You have to know your kids, and what they're doing. Tell them and reiterate that there's always an open avenue of discussion. If they hear it often enough, then maybe they'll come forth. But if you say, 'we don't discuss that in this house,' then they'll go elsewhere." For general information on drug abuse and treatment, referrals to crisis counseling and publications call 1-800-488-DRUG or on the Internet at www.acdc.org. - --- MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk