2020 was another big year for drug-related deaths in Schuylkill County.

In all, 119 people are listed as having died of drug-related causes by the Schuylkill County Coroner’s Office, up from 92 in 2019, Schuylkill County Coroner Dr. David J. Moylan III said.

“I’m surprised and disheartened by it,” he said.

Methamphetamine was the most common drug found in 59 of the decedents, fentanyl was second with 56, followed by amphetamine at 51.

The youngest to die was a 3-year-old boy. His death is classified as a homicide and involved fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl. The oldest person who died was 93-year-old woman whose manner of death is undetermined but involved morphine. Most of the decedents were white. Males accounted for 85 of the deaths; females 34.

The manner of death for 43 of those 119 people is homicide, coroner data shows. Thirty-one males and 12 females were homicide victims.

Moylan said he determined that by looking at forensic findings such as results from an autopsy, blood work and toxicology. He also spoke with the families of those who died, asking about their mental state.

“We determined they were poisoned,” he said, because of the toxicity of the drugs.

He said not all of them had a traditional autopsy. Moylan said he did not personally inform Schuylkill County District Attorney Michael O’Pake of the findings, because the office works with different law enforcement agencies who then can inform O’Pake. He also said the manner of death is public record.

“Our citizens are being poisoned for somebody to make a profit over it,” Moylan said.

Of those deaths listed as homicide, 38 involved fentanyl, 33 methamphetamine and 31 amphetamine. Other drugs sometimes were also listed.

O’Pake said he was not told by Moylan about the deaths ruled homicide or consulted prior to a determination.

“Dr. Moylan is listing all of those as homicides where they don’t necessarily need to be listed as homicide,” O’Pake said.

He has received calls from “probably less than five” families who told him the death of their loved one was classified as a homicide. His office is “looking into the facts surrounding instances of death.”

There are no current cases involving drug delivery resulting in death, the office is pursuing, O’Pake said.

“Drugs are a significant problem in Schuylkill County and always have been,” he said.

Giving people the “opportunity to help themselves” through education and providing treatment is essential, he said.

“If education and treatment fail to work, we look at incarceration,” O’Pake said.

State police public information officer David Beohm said he was unaware of any cases involving drug-related homicides in Schuylkill County.

Melissa Kalyan, Schuylkill County Drug and Alcohol Administrator, also said she was unaware that 119 people died of an overdose in the county last year.

“It’s terrible. I don’t know if it’s because people don’t know how to access services,” she said.

She said the Schuylkill County Drug and Alcohol Department worked hard to provide people services during the pandemic. Naloxone, a fast acting medication to reverse an opioid overdose, was provided to residents in the county during free distributions.

“It does make me sad,” she said.

Those needing help can call 570-621-2890. People can also go to the emergency room or a hospital and request help or tell a law enforcement officer who will call the county local drug and alcohol department.

Tammy Sienkiewicz, of Tamaqua, mother of Alexandria “Alex” Sienkiewicz, 23, who died of a fentanyl overdose April 2, 2016, said it is possible the pandemic has lead to the deaths of more Schuylkill County residents from drugs.

“Somethings stopped that we could not do for safety reasons. We can’t wait to get back to a better normal. Most overdose deaths happen when people are alone,” she said.

Sienkiewicz and her husband John are the co-founders of Safer Streets for Tamaqua’s Little Feet, a 501 (c3) an organization started after the death of their daughter Alex. The organization provides education, support and assistance to for those affected with addiction.