The Christmas holiday ended in tragedy when a young woman was found dead in her mother’s Sooke home in what police are calling a heroin overdose.
Miranda Willson, who had just turned 23, was home with her family on Boxing Day when she was discovered by her mother, Lori Willson, at around 11 a.m.
Foul play is not suspected and the presence of fentanyl is unknown, police said.
The B.C. Coroners Service reported eight recent deaths in Greater Victoria that have either been confirmed or strongly appear to be overdoses in the last three weeks.
Health officials say one fatality indicate the new drug is a deadly a mixture that includes methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl, a newer and more potent synthetic opiate.
Fentanyl is especially dangerous. Its effect mimics heroin or morphine, but the dose required is considerably less, so even an experienced user can easily overdose.
Willson’s case has been turned over to the B.C. Coroners Service for further investigation.