Pubdate: Wed, 30 Apr 2014
Source: Sandusky Register,The (OH)
Copyright: 2014 The Sandusky Register
Contact:  http://www.sanduskyregister.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1307
Author: Matt Westerhold

MOMS TALK DRUG ABUSE ON 'BTL LIVE'

Susan Prentice and Melva Sherwood will be the guests at noon Thursday
on "Between the Lines Live" at sanduskyregister.com

They organized a march next month designed to spotlight the heroin
epidemic and the recovery movement.

The Steps of Hope for Recovery march is Saturday, May 17.

Want to go?

*WHAT: Steps of Hope for Recovery, awareness march to recognize
addiction issues

*WHERE: In Sandusky, from Washington Park gazebo to Erie County
Courthouse lawn

*WHEN: 9:30 a.m. May 17

*WHO: All community members can participate. Those impacted by an
addiction issue in any way are encouraged to attend. Community
resources and agencies that help people deal with substance abuse
issues will also attend.

"We need change in the recovery process right now," said Sherwood, of
Vermilion, whose son Andrew Weaver died a little more than a year ago
from a heroin overdose. "People are getting thrown into jail instead
of going to rehab.  "They are being treated as criminals, and we want
to try to get some awareness about the need for change"

Prentice also lost a son to a drug-related incident.

"The main reason we decided to get involved is to try to spare other
families from going through the pain and anguish of losing a loved one
to an overdose" she said. "It is by far the most painful experience of
our lives. If more people are open and talk about addiction, maybe we
can truly start to fix the problem"

Jess Burdine, whose son died in August 2007 at the Sandusky County
jail, will be the guest in the second half of Thursday's BTL program.

Burdine and his family have fought for more than six years for a
criminal investigation of Craig Burdine's death. Ohio Attorney General
Mike DeWine agreed last year to conduct one and he plans to begin
presenting evidence to a Sandusky County grand jury next week.

Jess Burdine believes a jail guard caused his son's death, and he's
not confident DeWine will seek any criminal indictments when he
presents the evidence, even though the evidence his son was mistreated
at the jail is "overwhelming"

"If they can't return with an indictment they will have failed to do
their jobs," Burdine said recently.

The grand jury will begin hearing evidence on Tuesday.
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MAP posted-by: Matt