Several concerned parents gave impassioned pleas to the Town Council last week, urging members to fight substance abuse among youths wherever they had influence.

“My family is in turmoil every day,” Richard Platt told the council during call to the public March 4.

“The use of major drugs by our children is far beyond anything you can imagine.”

His daughter is getting treated for heroin addiction.

Several town officials are already involved with the Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition, but the parents said more resources are needed here.

Elizabeth Espiritu said her 18-year-old daughter fell victim to heavy drugs and has been struggling for two years.

“Before she was an addict she was a good student, a cheerleader, into sports, she was always happy,” Espiritu said.

“Her addiction has brought so much turmoil to our family in every way imaginable.

“My daughter has had three major overdoses, the last of which we found her lifeless body in Ashbrook Wash….

“Having to hold your lifeless child in your arms, or to get to the hospital and be told she might not make it through the night, or to watch her have drug-induced seizures, is something I would hope no other parent would ever have to go through.”

Since the emotional pleas came during the call to the public, the council could do little in terms of response.

Mayor Jay Schlum said he appreciated the courage and sharing from the families and spilling their “heartfelt” stories for the community’s benefit.

Later in the meeting, the council was finalizing a list of goals and objectives for the year, and members brought up fighting substance abuse.

Under “public safety, health and welfare,” members added a goal concerning working with the coalition and striving to become a drug-free community.

“I know when I was on the School Board we had the CattleGuard Alliance with Fort McDowell,” Councilwoman Ginny Dickey said.

“Secrecy is a challenge in a small town like ours. It’s not total denial, but you are close. People are willing to help each other out, but on issues like this, it’s a big hurdle because you are a small town…

“I’m all for going forward with the substance abuse issue under our goals.”

Platt said most in the community have no idea of the extent of the problem.

“We’re talking major drugs that are easier to get than alcohol,” he added.

“Maybe the garbage issue should just remain on the back burner right now. We have much more serious problems. Our children are going to need to be pulled away. Please wake up…

“Our daughter is coming home (from rehab) to this drug-infested town.

“We can’t possibly explain the stress, the ongoing emotional strain, financial strain, insurance nightmares that we are experiencing.

“We moved to Fountain Hills because we read it was one of the top places to raise a family.

“If the community doesn’t wake up to our major drug problem, we will be on the bottom of the places to raise a family and so will your home prices.”

Espiritu said her daughter is currently clean and sober but fights cravings every day.

“We send our kids to school thinking they are safe, however, our kids are getting the drugs at school,” she added.

“I’ve had meetings at the school and those I’ve spoken to agree there is a problem, but they only can tell me that there’s not enough funding to have full-time officers in the bathrooms.”

She also urged the Sheriff’s Office to not only go after the “big” drug dealers but to concentrate on the “little” ones as well: “These small dealers are the ones that are killing our kids.”

Espiritu said it’s unfortunate that a movie theater hasn’t opened here but that smoke shops have opened in town that sell pipes and other drug paraphernalia.

“We need to get our priorities straight and help our kids because they need us,” she said.

“These kids are doing heroin, Ecstasy, cocaine, OxyContin, tranquilizers, morphine, you name it.

“It’s here in our town and it’s very accessible. Let’s get help for our kids and get drugs out of our town so we can all have a better future.”

Another parent, Mary Walsh, is from Scottsdale, and her 19-year-old son graduated from Desert Mountain High School on the other side of the McDowells.

“My son got involved with heroin, and I personally know 20 boys in his graduating class addicted to heroin,” she said. “Three of the boys are from Fountain Hills.

“Who would have ever thought that something like this could be around? No one thinks it could happen to you…

“Whatever help you can do to let other parents know it is there would be helpful. This stuff is cheap. It’s way cheaper than pot.

“We need to let people know.”