Officials didn’t warn parents before teen overdose, dad says

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The father of one of two 13-year-old Utah boys who fatally overdosed on a new synthetic opioid drug is suing a school district and the police department, saying officials knew the teen’s friends had been experimenting with the drug but didn’t communicate the danger to parents.

The lawsuit filed Wednesday says after the first teenager died in September 2016, Park City police and school officials knew his friends like Ryan Ainsworth could be in danger. Still, the plaintiffs say officials decided not to give Ryan’s parents specific warnings about the new substance U-47700, also known as pink.

Robert Ainsworth says without that detailed information he wasn’t able to prevent the boy’s death.

Park City schools had no comment. Mayor Andy Beerman expressed condolences but said the city is generally proud of how police handled the case.