Woman revived after suspected overdose in Thurston County Jail, Sheriff’s Office says
A woman in custody at the Thurston County jail needed to be revived by corrections deputies after a suspected fentanyl overdose Monday night, according to the sheriff’s office and jail log information.
Deputies responded to the unconscious inmate and administered three doses of Narcan and began CPR, the sheriff’s office said in a social media post.
“Their swift actions helped stabilize the individual, who was transported to the hospital for further medical care,” the post reads.
When they returned to the jail, deputies say the woman was found to be in possession of a substance believed to be fentanyl.
The 35-year-old was then booked about 10:10 p.m. Monday on suspicion of possessing a controlled substance in a correctional institution, jail log information shows.
So how do drugs get into the jail in the first place? Sheriff Derek Sanders answered that question in the same social media post.
“Prior to arrest, inmates eat the drugs,” he said. “They then defecate the drugs out once in the jail and use/sell them. Corrections deputies don’t have the legal authority nor the medical training to provide a colonoscopy every time an inmate is booked. Fentanyl provides a unique challenge due to how small of a dosage it takes to overdose.”
This story was originally published March 18, 2025 at 11:02 AM.
