>>> BODY COUNT.
OPIOID OVER DOSE PROBLEM IS SO
BAD HERE IN DUVAL COUNTY THAT
BODIES TURNED AWAY FROM THE
MORGUE.
WE HEARD FROM SOME OF YOU
ALREADY ON SOCIAL MEDIA
QUESTIONING WHY WE ARE EVEN
DOING THE STORY BUT WE WANT TO
TELL YOU IT'S BECAUSE THE DRUG
IS KILLING PEOPLE HERE EVERY
DAY.
>> FOR MONTHS WE TRACKED THE
GROWING NUMBER OF OPIOID OVER
DOSES ACROSS THE CITY. WE WANT
TO WARN YOU BEFORE WE START THE
STORY, DENISE TAKES US INSIDE
THE MORGUE TO SHOW JUST HOW
OVERWHELMING AND COSTLY THE
PROBLEM IS.
>>Reporter: EVERY WEEK BODIES
BROUGHT HERE TO THE MEDICAL
EXAMINER OFFICE.
CAUSE OF DEATH VARIES FROM
SUDDEN UNEXPECTED OR UNNATURAL
DEATH.
ALSO OPIOID OVER DOSE.
CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER DR.
CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER
DR. VALERIE SAYS THE MORGUE IS
RUNNING OUT OF SPACE BECAUSE
THE DRUGS ARE KILLING SO MANY
PEOPLE.
>> THE LIKELIHOOD OF A BODY
BEING IN THAT ROOM OF SOME ONE
WITH OVER DOSE.
>> VERY HIGH.
VERY HIGH.
>> EVERY WEEK.
>> EVERY DAY.
>> OVER DOSES.
EVERY DAY.
NOT SAYING EL DAY I CAN RECALL
FROM THE PAST LET'S SAY EIGHT
MONTHS THAT WE HAVE NOT A DRUG
OVER DOSE.
NOT ONE DAY GOES BY.
>>Reporter: DOCTORS DO AUTOPSY
6 DAY AS WEEK IN THE ROOM.
4 BODY AT A TIME.
THE MORGUE CAN ONLY HOLD 50
BODIES.
DR. THE DOCTOR SAYS THEY NEED
MORE SPACE.
SOMETHING I SAW FIRSTHAND WHEN
I WENT IN.
>> WOW! YOU DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH
SPACE.
>> WE HAVE TO STAGGER THEM.
>>Reporter: BODIES REST
PEACEFULLY IN THE MORGUE COUPLE
PETE APART. THE NEED OUT GREW
THE SPACE IN THE 50-YEAR-OLD
BUILDING.
>> RIGHT N WE HAV [ COUNTIN
>> RIGHT NOW WE HAVE [
COUNTING] 16.
>>Reporter: EVERY MONDAY IT
WILL FILL UP AGAIN.
THE DOCTOR SAYS THERE WILL BE
PLENTY OF DRUG OVER DOSE
VICTIMS FROM HEROIN OR ANY DRUG
WITH FENTANYL MICKED IN.
INFLUX OF PEOPLE DYING FROM
OVER DOSE HAS GOTTEN SO BAD DA
OVER DOSE HAS GOTTEN SO BAD
DAYS WHEN MEDICAL EXAMINER
OFFICE HAS TO REFUSE BODIES
FROM FUNERAL HOME AND HOSPITAL
FROM FUNERAL HOME AND
HOSPITALS.
>> WE HAVE NEVER HAD DRUG LIKE
THIS BEFORE.
EVER.
IN THE HISTORY OF THIS OFFICE.
>>Reporter: ACCORDING TO THE
MEDICAL EXAMINER OFFICE THE
PROBLEM BEGAN A YEAR AGO.
THE NUMBERS TELL THE STORY IN
DUVAL COUNTY.
2015 THERE WERE 2 01 OVER DOSE
DEATH N.2016 THE NUMBER MORE
THAN DOUBLED TO 4 64.
THE COST OF ONE AUTOPSY IS 3000
DOLLARS.
THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE EXPENSIVE
TEST THAT CONFIRM AN OVER DOSE.
>> OUR BUDGET I HOPE CREASING
EVERY YEAR.
WE ARE NOW PREPARING THE BUMP
IT FOR THE NEXT FISCAL 84 AN WE
HAVE TO ADD THIS OUR TOXICOLOGY
BUDGET EVERY YEAR IS HALF
MILLION DOLLARS A.LOT OF MONEY.
>>Reporter: CITY SAYS SINCE
THE BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED IN
1968 MORE THAN 4 MILLION
DOLLARS HAS BEEN INVESTED IN
ADDITION, RENOVATION, EXPANSION
INCLUDING TWO MILLION DOLLAR
IMPROVEMENT PROJECT COMPLETE A
FEW YEARS AGO.
THE CITY GOES ON TO SAY QUOTE
IN ADDITION THIS FACILITY IS
INCLUDED IN THE CAPITOL
IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
WHERE EACH YEAR IT'SONSIDERED
FOR PRIORITY SCORING AND RAN
FOR PRIORITY SCORING AND
RANKING AMONG CITY PROJECTS.
THESE EFFORTS DEMONSTRATE OUR
CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO
MONITORING AND ADDRESSING THE
CRITICAL NEEDS AND SERVICES
PROVIDED BY OUR MEDICAL
EXAMINER OFFICE.
HOW HAD YOU HANDLING THIS WE
JUST COME AND WE HAVE TO DO
WASHINGTON WE HAVE TO DO. NO
OTHER WAY.
>>Reporter: THAT WAS DID HE
NEECHLTS FENTANYL SO DEADLY THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT SHARED THIS
PHOTO ON THE FACE BOOK PAGE TO
SHOW JUST HOW LITTLE IT TAKES
TO KILL THE AMPLE ADULT JUST
FEW GRAIN COMPARED TO STRAIGHT
HEROIN ON THE LEFT AND TAKE
EVEN LESS FOR THE MORE POTENT
VERSION OF THE SYNTHETIC HERE.
>> BODY COUNT STILL RISING
LOCALLY.
MEDICAL EXAMINER OFFICE TELLS
US IT'S TO DOUBLE LAST YEAR