Parents who lost daughter to drug overdose hold event to warn others

CHARLOTTE — Victoria Siegel was just 18 years old when she died from an accidental drug overdose.

Her death in 2015 came as a shock to her parents, Jackie and David, who believed they had missed some warning signs.

Siegel’s parents started a non-profit called Victoria’s Voice to educate others on the warning signs of substance abuse in kids.

Their forum, called Vital Signs, has reached parents in cities across the country and plans to make a stop in Charlotte on Thursday.

“The goal is to get parents and arm them with much information about what is going on in your kid’s life and what signs you should be looking for with vaping, with potential drug use, bullying, substance use, and mental health issues as well,” said Leah Shepherd, executive director of Victoria’s Voice.

At the event, parents will be able to hear from some top leaders and learn about the life-saving medicine Naloxone.

They will also receive a copy of Victoria’s Diary, which serves as a cautionary tale.

Shepherd said she hopes those resources will serve as a wake-up call to parents.

“Jackie and David full-heartedly feel that if it can happen to us, it can happen to anyone. So for parents to just be on alert and not feel immune,” Shepherd explained.

The parent forum will be held on Thursday from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Valerie Woodard Center.

You can register for the event here.

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