Wendy Golden returned home from work late in the evening on June 24 and found her youngest son Kody unconscious on the couch. She began to perform CPR.
“When paramedics came they took over but there was nothing they could do,” says Golden.
Five years earlier, her oldest son, 23-year-old Cory had been out drinking for the night and turned the stove on to cook a meal – then fell asleep.
The apartment caught fire and he died of smoke inhalation.
Golden now has a surviving son, stepson and daughter, but she still struggles with the drug overdose death of Kody.
She still cannot sleep without reliving that night,
Pain is now mixed with anger over Kody's overdose of Clonazepam, which was seven dollars worth of Methadone.
Friends say Kody smoked marijuana but did not use anything else.
“Some prescription drugs were taken… given to him. Allegedly given to him by a co-worker,” says Golden.
Kody’s mother says an investigation was launched in August 2014 by the New Brunswick RCMP.
The explanation given to her was that although Kody Cook died at home in Amherst, the drugs were allegedly provided or sold in the parking lot where he worked in New Brunswick.
She has not heard from RCMP yet, but hopes it will lead to charges.
“The young man who sold those drugs is still walking the streets. He hasn't been held accountable,” says Golden.
Cook's death has modified the lifestyles of some of his friends.
“I just don't use as much marijuana. I never used, never touched prescription drugs,” says Cory Ryan.
Besides answers from RCMP and the hope of charges, Golden wants the death of both of her sons have an impact on others, particularly parents and anyone with an influence on young people.
“Let them know about the dangers of prescription drug and of alcohol abuse,” she says.
With the loss of two sons, Golden says she now has to know, at all times, where her remaining son and her stepson are.
It is the only way she can get peace.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Rick Grant
