‘Absolutely terrifying’ Local mother speaks out about drug sales on social media amid Snapchat probe

The social media app Snapchat is under investigation by federal agencies, over its potential role in the spread and sale of fentanyl-laced pills.

The probe includes interviews with parents of children who have died from overdoses.

News Channel 3's Samantha Lomibao spoke with a local mother, Jennifer Loza.

“Steven was an extremely bright light," Loza said. "He had a big presence about himself... he had a lot of struggles, but he was an amazing kid.”

Loza, who lost her 18-year-old son, Steven, to fentanyl-poisoning in 2020.

“My understanding is he believed he was taking a Percocet that was actually laced with fentanyl," she explained. "It devastated my world in a way that I can't even put into words... to lose my child.”

Loza knew fentanyl was dangerous, but didn’t realize how often it’s found laced in other drugs. A similar mindset to many other parents.

“Just how deadly and how dangerous and how deceiving, and just how easy the access to these pills was mind blowing to me because I did have conversations with Steven about fentanyl," Loza explained. "Not with enough urgency though, because I didn't understand.”

After her son passed away, she found a photo on his phone from Snapchat with various drugs pictured.

“It literally made me sick to my stomach," Loza said. "The fact that my son was is able to get something off Snapchat easier than walking out my front door was absolutely terrifying.”

Loza hopes social media apps will step up and do more to prevent the sale and spread of drugs.

“A lot of the platforms of these apps say it's a privacy issue, but we're talking about lives," she said. "There should be no reason any child should go on to Instagram, Snapchat or any of them and be able to buy drugs.”

She encourages parents to speak with their children about the dangers of fentanyl.

“Your child doesn't have to be an addict to die from fentanyl, it can be one time. And if your child is using, they're at even a higher risk," Loza said. "Say something and educate because I really think the only way you're going to stop it is to stop demand.”

Last year, Snapchat said it removed more than 400,000 accounts that posted drug-related content.

Loza, who created Ronnie’s House for Hope for grief support, has been holding fentanyl awareness presentations at local schools.