All four people found dead in a suburban Melbourne home, including a 17-year-old boy, had synthetic opioids in their systems.
Police were called to a Broadmeadows home on Bicknell Court shortly before 2am on June 26 after a neighbour went to check on the house and discovered the bodies.
Michael Hodgkinson, 32, was one of four people discovered in the lounge of a unit along with Abdul El Sayed, 17, an as yet unidentified 37-year-old man and a 42-year-old woman.
Victoria Police said Thursday their investigation into the Broadmeadows deaths is ongoing but confirmed the discovery of drugs.
“Preliminary tests have confirmed the presence of a synthetic opioid in the system of all four individuals,” the force said in a statement.
‘No presence of fentanyl has been detected at this time.
The Department of Health on Tuesday issued a warning about the sale of cocaine in Melbourne laced with the synthetic opioid protonitazene, which is 100 times more potent than heroin.
“Serious damage has recently occurred in Melbourne associated with a white powder sold as cocaine containing protonitazene,” the warning states.
Michael Hodgkinson was among four people who died in a suspected overdose in Broadmeadows last week.
Abdul El Sayed, 17, (right), leaves behind a partner and an 18-month-old daughter
‘The product appears to produce loss of consciousness, respiratory depression and potentially life-threatening hypoxia (insufficient oxygen for normal functioning).’
The bodies were found by a relative and were all in the same area of the house, leading police to believe they were sitting together and there was no evidence to suggest there had been any violence inside the home.
Preliminary forensic tests confirmed that all four people had a synthetic opioid in their system (pictured: family and police at the house where the four bodies were discovered)
Police are investigating the “unusual” deaths of four people found in a house in Melbourne’s north. (William Ton)
