On Sunday afternoon, she found her 16-year-old son on the floor of his bedroom in their California home. He was a good student, applying to college and preparing for a summer internship. He was appreciated by friends in Chicago and his hometown in California.
He could not be resurrected by paramedics.
“He was always researching things and exploring things and he was incredibly sweet, kind and full of dreams,” she said.
Berman said he was told he appeared to have died from a fentanyl overdose. She believes the drugs were bought through a Snapchat dealer.
Berman said her son’s friend says Sammy met someone on the social media app to buy what he thought were prescription drugs. Santa Monica police are investigating and would only say that a preliminary investigation led them to believe that the use of prescription drugs may have been involved.
“I wanted people to know that those ‘innocent experimental things’ you could do could be probable, because they seem to be everywhere, related to fentanyl, which they do to make you addicted,” said Dr. Berman.
FULL INTERVIEW: Dr. Berman that he lost his son, which parents should know
The drug control administration said it was actively investigating drug trafficking in various ways, including online through social media, websites and the dark web, and said that “many illegal substances on the online market contain deadly fentanyl.”
Berman said his previous worries about Snapchat focused on inappropriate photos, not drug use. She said that although their children may get older, parents should still ask for their passwords and monitor their activity online and on social networks for their safety.
While Berman and her family are sad and waiting for the test results, she wanted to warn other families.
“I want parents to know how to talk to your children, that the things they are going to get from a drug dealer are not safe and could very well kill them,” she said. “And if I can help a child not die, that helps my heart.”
Berman said she and her family are grateful for the support of their friends, family and communities and other grieving parents who contacted her.
She started a Facebook page for herself and the families who lost a child due to drug overdose.
Full statement from Snapchat
“Our deepest sympathies are with the family and friends of Samuel Berman Chapman and we are moved by his death.
“We are committed to working with law enforcement in this case and in all cases where Snapchat is used for illegal purposes. We have zero tolerance for using Snapchat to buy or sell illegal drugs. Using Snapchat for illegal purposes is strongly against We are constantly improving our technological capabilities to detect drug-related activity so that we can intervene proactively.If you are witnessing illegal behavior on Snapchat, please use our in-app tools to track them. report quickly and confidentially so we can take action.
“We have no higher priority than keeping Snapchat in a secure environment and we will continue to invest in protecting our community.”
Complete DEA statement
“The drug control administration is actively investigating various methods of drug trafficking, including online through websites, social platforms and the dark network. The DEA Chicago, through cyber investigations, is committed to disrupting and dismantling drug networks that exploit the Internet to distribute illegal drugs, including fraudulent and counterfeit prescription drugs – for both adults and children. Many illegal substances sold online contain deadly fentanyl – which is 50 times stronger than heroin and potentially lethal in doses of 2.5 milligrams.
The DEA encourages parents and caregivers to discuss with their children the dangers of drug abuse and the misuse of prescription drugs, highlighting the immediate potential for overdose death.
Tips about websites or people selling drugs through social media can be distributed anonymously to dea.gov/submit-tip. ”
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