Colorado 2021-Cassandra Dawn Gonzales is the child of Teri Hacker. “Cassi” was a loving mother to two beautiful children, she was a daughter and sister. Cassi was a nurse and knew about fentanyl.  Cassi’s mother Teri first came to Voices For Awareness in search of answers to how her daughter could have been poisoned by fentanyl. Oftentimes, families never find out where the fentanyl that killed their loved one came from. Fentanyl poisonings are commonly overlooked and many victims’ deaths are never investigated. These cases are often looked at as “OVERDOSE”-BOOK CLOSED-NO INVESTIGATION IS EVER PERFORMED. Cassandra is one of those victims. Cassandra died of fentanyl poisoning and was found in her car several days after her death. A known passenger was in the car with Cassi when she died. The passenger was never interviewed, and the suspicious circumstances surrounding Cassi’s death were never investigated. The evidence collected at the scene was destroyed and Cassandra’s family was left with no answers as to what happened to her. Crime Scene investigation is an issue that needs a lot of attention in this time of the changing drug landscape. 

It is our belief that the stigma around fentanyl is the same as overdose. Many victims of fentanyl poisoning are unsuspecting, and not aware that they are taking a counterfeit deceptively laced with fentanyl. Cassi was prescribed a pain medication that was necessary to control a medical issue she struggled with. This video is a peek into the world of how prescription medicines can lead to more dangerous and deadly drugs.