INDIANAPOLIS – Two red crosses were placed onto a south side church’s lawn in April 2016 to represent the number of drug overdoses in the Indianapolis community. As of May 2017, church members counted 357.
Crosses on the lawn, near Meridian Street and Arizona Street, shows the city has a large heroin problem that impacts other areas of users' lives, community members said.
“A lot of people are homeless because they lost jobs and they've lost it all,” said Brenda Worden.
Marion County Forensics lab official, Mike Medler, said workers have been testing heroin samples and working under new safety procedures.
"It's highly, highly toxic and it can kill you. You don't know the quality if you purchased it on the street,” he said.
Church members said they plan to add 20 crosses for those overcoming drug addiction, and another 50 representing more overdoses.
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