Portsmouth Police and EMS responded to yet another tragic call on 3rd Street after a woman was found unresponsive inside a home.
Medics confirmed she had died from a suspected overdose. Officers contacted the Scioto County Coroner, who took possession of the body, while investigators processed the scene. Several syringes were recovered, including one loaded with what appeared to be narcotics. The case remains under investigation, and the woman’s name has not yet been released pending family notification.
A Crisis Close to Home
This death adds to the mounting toll of Scioto County’s drug epidemic. State health data consistently ranks Scioto County at or near the top for overdose deaths in Ohio, a grim distinction that has devastated families and strained first responders.
Officers say calls like this — responding to unresponsive individuals, often surrounded by drug paraphernalia — have become tragically routine. Each incident is not just another police report, but another life cut short and another family left grieving.
The Larger Picture
Advocates stress that while law enforcement handles the immediate fallout, long-term solutions must involve expanded treatment, recovery programs, and prevention. Without broader intervention, Scioto County risks holding onto a title no community wants: the highest overdose rate in the state.