Amanda Young was found deceased in a vehicle in Pima on Oct. 9, 2023. The Pima County Office of Medical Examiner has ruled her death as an accident by drug overdose.
By Jon Johnson
PIMA – The death of Amanda Young, 30, of Pima, has been ruled an accident as the result of the toxic effects of fentanyl and methamphetamine, according to the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner.
Young was found unresponsive in a vehicle on 1300 South at about 8:52 p.m. on Oct. 9, 2023. The responding party advised the victim “looks beat up” but also was unsure if she had suffered a drug overdose as no Narcan was listed as being available.
After cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) efforts failed, McDougal Caldwell’s Funeral Chapel was called to retrieve her body until ready for transport to Tucson for the autopsy, which was performed by the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner.
Pima Assistant Chief of Police Gary Graves was on point for the “active death investigation” that was ongoing while waiting for results from the Medical Examiner.
Young’s autopsy was completed in mid-December listing the manner of death as an accident.
“In consideration of the known circumstances surrounding the death, the available medical history, and the examination of the remains, the cause of death is toxic effects of fentanyl and methamphetamine,” the autopsy states.
According to the toxicology report, Young had 100 ng/mL of blood of amphetamine, 940 ng/mL of blood of methamphetamine, 3.6 ng/mL of blood of fentanyl, and 1.4 ng/mL of blood of norfentanyl, which is a primary inactive metabolite of fentanyl. The report advised that the methamphetamine level was higher than levels reported in methamphetamine abusers who exhibited violent and irrational behavior.
Young has had a history of illicit drug use, including a previous drug overdose in May 2023.
