NEW CASTLE, Del. (AP) - New Castle County police believe heroin use played a role in four deaths that occurred within a span of a few hours over the weekend.
Police say the deaths occurred between 8 a.m. and 1:05 p.m. Sunday in Wilmington, Newark and Claymont.
The deaths involved three women, ages 23, 26 and 59, and a 63-year-old man.
Police spokesman Officer JP Piser said evidence of heroin use was found at each location, but that the causes of death remain under investigation.
Interim police chief Lt. Col. Vaughn Bond Jr. said in a statement that his department has seen similar incidents before with Fentanyl or other bad batches of heroin.
Attorney General Matt Denn noted last week that Delaware saw a 38 percent increase in fatal overdoses from 2015 to 2016.
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This story has been updated to show the increase in fatal overdoses from 2015 to 2016 was 38 percent, not 35 percent.
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Information from: The News Journal of Wilmington, Del., https://www.delawareonline.com
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