The second of two men found guilty of delivering a fatal dose of heroin laced with fentanyl and failing to render aid, resulting in the death of 26-year-old Lauren Cole in July 2020, was sentenced earlier this week in Monongalia County Circuit Court.
Benjamin Shreve was given the maximum sentence allowed for the charge — 15 years in prison. The other man, Tremayne Johnson, was given the same sentence earlier this year.
“Unfortunately, neither family wins in these cases. Obviously, we’ve lost Lauren forever, but it’s not easy for the other family, either,” said Michael Cole, Lauren’s father. “We’re going to struggle the rest of our lives and unfortunately you only go through life one time — we are going to spend the balance of that heartbroken and missing Lauren.”
Eve Leombruno, a long-time friend of Lauren’s, said, “Trey was one of our really good friends in high school — a part of our friend group that we did a lot with. It really hit home knowing that he was involved.
“Just another one of our friends that got caught up,” she said.
“This is probably the worst epidemic that’s ever hit our nation, and obviously, West Virginia. West Virginia has actually led the nation in deaths per capita now for the third year in a row,” Cole said.
“So it’s time to put our foot down and say enough is enough and we are not going to tolerate it anymore — there will be a consequence and a penalty associated with this and send the message that, you know, you’re not going to come to West Virginia and do these types of things and get away with it any longer.”
Cole said there is no going back from here, but the message has to be sent.
Now, he is focused on honoring his daughter’s passion for social work and helping others.
Shortly before her death, Lauren asked her father if they could find a way to help others struggling with addiction — and he promised her that day they could.
She relapsed a few weeks later and died after buying the fentanyl-laced heroin, but Cole said he did not forget the promise he made to his little girl that day. He now grants Lauren’s wish with a nonprofit of the same name.
He said Lauren’s Wish focuses an opportunity or a shortcoming in their own personal experience helping Lauren with addiction.
“When somebody admits to themselves that they want long-term help, the beds aren’t readily available,” he said.
“So we put them right back out in the general public, or the general population, or wherever they came from before, and expect them to wait, you know, four, five or 10 days — their window doesn’t allow that. The brain tells them that they have to use again and with fentanyl out there it’s almost like playing Russian roulette.”
To help combat this problem, the organization is poised to open a 28-bed, 14-room addiction triage center called Lauren’s Wish at Hazel’s House of Hope.
“We’re gonna have a center where they can stay in a safe environment until that long-term bed opens up,” Cole said. “And there is no charge — it will be free.”
The facility, which is now fully staffed, plans on having a soft opening in a week or two with five to 10 patients there “just to get the staff acclimated and up to speed,” he said.
A week or so after that, they plan on having a grand opening to fully open all beds at the facility.
“Right now we’re saying within the next three weeks or so we are going to have a grand opening,” Cole said.
Cole is confident the addiction recovery center will fill up quickly. The group has already received calls, even from families multiple states away, asking if Lauren’s Wish can help them or their loved one.
“The amount of calls we get right now on a daily basis — it’s just heartbreaking,” Cole said. “But this is what Lauren wanted, she wanted to help people and make a difference, so we are going to follow through for her and keep pushing forward, following her guidance.”
For more information on Lauren’s Wish, the Addiction Triage Center at Hazel’s House of Hope, future projects and fundraisers, or to donate or volunteer, visit laurenswish.org.
“We can’t necessarily affect or impact the amount of drugs or fentanyl that comes into our state,” Cole said. “But what we can do is help those that are suffering from addiction and help educate the community.”
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