Heroin OD Likely Cause of Brookfield Man's Death, Police Say

A 28-year-old Brookfield man was found dead of a probable overdose of heroin on Feb. 28 at his family's home, according to police.

Brookfield police are not yet releasing the man's name because the county medical examiner has not yet filed a report on the cause of his death.

However, police called the circumstances of the death "consistent" with a heroin overdose, without ruling out the possibility that there could have been other substances or factors involved as well.

According to their reports:

At 7:15 p.m. that day, the man's aunt called police and paramedics to the home in the 2400 block of Thornapple Lane.

She and other family members told investigators that the deceased had been in the bathroom for a long time with the shower running.

After what seemed to them an inordinate amount of time to be in there, they tried to get his attention through the door. When they couldn't get a response, they went in and found him on the floor, and he could not be revived.

Officers found an intravenous drug "rig" and a substance that field-tested positive as heroin.

Investigators are working with the medical examiner's office and awaiting the results of toxicology reports. In the meantime, they are also pursuing an investigation of where and from whom the victim might have gotten the drugs.

"Heroin has been becoming more prevalent in the last few years," said Brookfield Police Capt. Jim Adlam. "We’re looking into every case where it shows up.

"It's a very dangerous and damaging drug."