“The residence was in deplorable conditions, and at the time of the call, there was no heat inside the residence as well,” Trumbull County Sheriff’s Office Major Tony Villanueva said. Investigators believe that the boy was likely left alone for a period of time between 24 and 48 hours.
Major Villanueva credited the relative with likely saving the boy’s life. “Luckily, a family member recognized that there was a problem, didn’t hear from her family for a couple of days, went to check it out, and because of that gut instinct, she was able to save that boy’s life,” Major Villanueva concluded.
The incident mirrored a similar viral story from Ohio from years prior. In 2016, police published a haunting photograph of a couple who had overdosed in their car, while the woman’s four-year-old son sat in a car seat behind them.
The authorities were heavily criticized for releasing the photo but defended their actions, saying the image was published to serve as a warning about opioid addiction, according to STAT News.
“We felt the story had to be told,” East Liverpool Director of Public Service and Safety Brian Allen said. “There is a real powerful story in that image. Children all over this country are going through the same thing. We can complain about the picture all we want, but what are we going to do to fix it?” he asked. “Look at the expression on that child’s face,” Allan said. “He has seen this thousands of times in his life.
Someone had to do something to stop that.” Allan hoped that by sharing the disturbing images, people who know of parents who are using opioids might call the police or take other action to protect the children in those homes or that the photos might even prompt addicts to change their behavior, although he admitted that he doubts they will stop using drugs as a result. He said they might consider dropping a child off with a relative or friend when using.
Similarly, we hope that by sharing the story of Amber Berry’s demise and her son’s rescue, someone in a similar situation might be helped before it’s too late. Drug abuse isn’t a victimless crime; instead, its deadly grasp can reach beyond the user, leaving innocent children at the mercy of their circumstances. And if it weren’t for a caring family member, this story could have had an even more tragic ending.