Fentanyl-laced pills causing multiple overdoses in Prince George's County

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. - A Maryland family whose loved one recently overdosed on fentanyl-laced pills is warning the public about the counterfeit drug circulating throughout Prince George's County.

Regina Hargrove told FOX 5 that her nephew passed away last Tuesday due to a fentanyl overdose.

Hargrove said she's coping with the loss by trying to help others understand, as she did almost 22 years ago, that there is a better way of life without depending on drugs.

She's now sounding the alarm alongside the Prince George's County Police Department about the dangerous knock-off pills that have already claimed the lives of two people in the area.

The pills in question appear to have an "M" on them and investigators say users are purchasing the pills believing that they are prescription painkillers.

"What we're seeing is in the past couple of months, we're seeing a rise in the fentanyl-laced pills that we're finding on the scenes of overdoses or overdose scenes that resulted in deaths," said PGPD Major Chad Schmick. "It's because of the prevalence of these scenes as of late as why we're trying to get the message out to the public."

Police are warning residents to first and foremost, avoid taking unprescribed medication. Also, they're encouraging families to have those tough conversations with loved ones, especially children, about avoiding unprescribed pills and drugs and getting help.