Parents know the day will come when their child has grown up. This inevitable time usually comes with a desire to move out into the world, so they can spread their wings. So, as they set forth, parents can only hope they will be safe. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the case for 22-year-old Ciara Gilliam, who died of a drug overdose on the 23rd of August. Her parents have offered a $45,000 reward for the identity of the dealer who sold Ciara the drugs. Risky? for sure. But, they are determined.
“Accidental” overdose
Robert and Karletha Gilliam had been trying to contact their 22-year-old daughter, Ciara Gilliam, without success. She was answering neither of their calls, nor her boyfriend’s. This concerned them, so they went over to her house to check up on her. After knocking several times on the doors and windows, they found her bedroom window was unlocked. In an interview with FOX, Robert said his stepfather climbed through the window, only to find Ciara dead on the floor.
“They knocked on the door and knocked on the windows. No one answered,” recalled Robert. “Ciara’s bedroom window was unlocked and my stepfather climbed through the window and found Ciara deceased on her bedroom floor.” According to reports, there was a bottle of pills lying next to her body that contained a strong opioid. After the autopsy, they discovered she had an accidental fentanyl overdose.
Karletha and Robert Gilliam are heartbroken over the loss of their daughter. They spoke of the strong bond they shared with her. “She was our everything,” Robert said. “This is leaving a lot of heartache and a huge void in our lives. Ciara called us multiple times a day. We had the best relationship that a mother, father, and daughter could ever have.”
From $10,000 to $45,000
Ciara’s parents are determined to find the dealer who sold their daughter the fentanyl. They hope to save at least one life by removing even just that one dealer from the streets. Initially, they offered a $10,000 reward for the identity of the dealer. Robert Gilliam made a Facebook post, saying: “Offering $10,000 cash reward to the person that can identify by name, address and phone number to the person that sold the Fentanyl to my daughter that killed her. No questions asked. Karletha Gilliam Karletha Gilliam Ciara Gilliam”
When they had no luck with that amount, they hiked up the reward to R45,000. For this large sum, they want all of the dealer’s information. From home address, to contact number. They understand there are risks involved with offering a reward to a drug dealer. The industry is notoriously violent. However, they are determined to see it through.
“It is our hope that we can save one life“
“We cannot bring Ciara back,” said Robert. “The epidemic in Iowa is out of control. If we can get one drug dealer off the street, it is our hope that we can save one life. We hope this serves notice to the drug dealers that there are some of us that will stand up and take action when no one else will.”
He added: “Ciara would want this tragedy not to be in vain, but to help others who may also be struggling in silence. Our family is urging anyone with any information or resources to help end the selling of illegal and synthetic narcotics that is destroying the lives of so many, in the Des Moines Metro area, contact the Des Moines Police Department.”
Sources
- “Parents seek drug dealer in daughter’s death, offer reward: ‘No questions asked’.” FOX. Chris Williams. August 29, 2022.
- “Parents offering $45,000 reward for anyone who can identify drug dealer involved in daughter’s death.” Unilad. Daisy Phillipson. August 30, 2022.