Neighbor News
Fentanyl Death of Tiffany Reeves
The mother and community representatives demand answers and justice at Bridgeview Trustee Board Meeting
At the Trustee Board Meeting at Bridgeview Village Hall on Wednesday, December 7, 2022, Rabbi Michael Ben Yosef, founder of Tikkun Chai Inter-National, a social justice and civil rights organization, along with Brenda Sturgeon of Drug Induced Homicide Foundation, and Monica Reeves, the mother of the late Tiffany Reeves. They came to ask why nothing is allegedly being done.
"There's a crisis that this administration has been very quiet on," said Rabbi Ben Yosef. The [fentanyl] crisis is claiming children's lives. And here's the victim's family about the crisis is going on, that you don't know about. And the administration, all of you, know about the murder. Shame on you."
Monica Reeves complained that the police department has not been returning her calls and will not give her real information when she asked for it. She asserted that she was being ignored. She insisted that the police department is not taking the matter seriously because they see her daughter as a drug addict instead of a victim of murder. She asserted that her daughter, who died July 23, 2022, was abstinent and not doing drugs up until the time of her death. Rabbi Ben Yosef then called on the mayor and all of the trustees to resign.
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The conversation soon took a downward turn when Mayor Steven Landek tried to answer their concerns. "Are you gonna use this as a moment to stand up for this problem?" Rabbi Ben Yosef challenged Mayor Landek. "Are you gonna be man enough [of] a leader in this city to say you are [making] a call to action about this death?" He then addressed the children and adolescents observing in the gallery for civics and government classes.
"You have failed these children." declared Rabbi Ben Yosef. "If [Tiffany Reeves] was your daughter, your grandchild, you would sit down with a tyrant. You'd be standing right here begging please. [The children present are] right here with their school." He then turned to the youths. "I should be talking to you to have a public assembly for this kid." He then turned back to Mayor Landek and the trustees. "I don't want to see them in caskets. I want to see them in college, going to be a doctor, lawyer, or something. "To take care of you [and] I when we get older, they need to be alive."
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Rabbi Ben Yosef listed the communities and vicinities that have taken, what he felt, are assertive steps to minimize the crisis. These include Chicago and McHenry County. He and his party then became livid because they believed that Mayor Landek was laughing at them. The Rabbi, departing with the mother and supporters, derided the ability of the Mayor and the trustees to lead, with the Rabbi, again, questioning the Mayor's manhood.
This is not the first time the Rabbi or Monica Reeves have addressed this matter at the town hall. They and their supporters have picketed in front of the building and attended the board of trustees meeting on September 7, 2022.
"I am here to support the family," said Brenda Sturgeon. "I lost my daughter 7 years ago, and there is a statute of limitations for these cases of only 3 years. Fentanyl is a serious epidemic, but no one wants to do anything because they are drug abusers."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fentanyl is typically not a drug taken by itself. It is often laced with other narcotics, such as heroin or cocaine, to strengthen the dosage of the drug. This way, drug traffickers can sell a product in smaller doses of the actual preferred drug, thereby allowing for higher profits. Because of the strength and opioid-like attributes of fentanyl, as well as a typical dealer's inability to understand the chemistry of fentanyl, it is very easy for a drug user to overdose or, possibly, suffer a severe reaction it may have when combined with the preferred drug.
Hence, the drug dealer would at least have committed voluntary manslaughter for each death. If the dealer knew that his or her mixture is lethal, then second or even first-degree murder would be even more suitable a charge.
Regarding Tiffany Reeves, there are pressing question: what are the detectives of the Bridgeview Police Department doing to find and prosecute the drug dealer who is responsible for her death? Are they avoiding her, as she says? Is this a matter that is too complex for a town with a population of over 17,000? As fentanyl is a drug that is produced in China and is often smuggled through the Mexican border, is this a matter for the Federal Bureau of Investigation?
What is certain is that, Rabbi Ben Yosef would be wise to cease in antagonizing the officials of Bridgeview. Shouting for them to resign and insulting the Mayor's manhood, which typically amounts to fighting words, will not bring positive results. Obviously they are angry and grieving, which might excuse Ms. Reeves, but Rabbi Ben Yosef is supposed to be a religious leader. After all, the Tanakh says, "There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." How could one, Jewish or not, go to a rabbi for spiritual guidance when he openly berates people in authority?
On the other hand, if there is a 3-year statute of limitations on homicides like this, if little is being done to find and prosecute, the detectives would be prudent to act immediately because the longer they wait, the less likely there will be justice. The only thing to do after this is wait for the next person to die.
