Gov. Youngkin signs Malcolm's Law in honor of Virginia teen lost to fentanyl

A Virginia mother who lost her son to fentanyl is trying to save others from the drug.

A bill named after her son was just signed into law by Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

“I want my son’s legacy to be measured in lives saved,” Thurraya Kent said.

The News4 I-Team first spoke with the Kent family from Northern Virginia about their son, Malcolm, last year.

They shared that their son was an energetic, adventurous 17-year-old looking forward to graduating high school, when he died suddenly in January 2023.

“We found out from the medical examiner weeks later that it was from fentanyl poisoning,” Kent said.

The Kents learned Malcolm had taken something and rushed him to the emergency room.

“The emergency room, after a few hours, sent them home, and Malcolm died within a day – overnight.” Kent said.

Since Malcolm’s passing, his mother has been fighting to prevent other families from going through this.

She worked with State Del. Irene Shin on “Malcolm’s Law,” which requires hospitals in Virginia to test urine samples for fentanyl.

“The standard urine test does not test for fentanyl,” Kent said. “… The only person testing them is the medical examiner, which means when they seek treatment, they’re not getting all the information necessary to make sound treatment decisions.”

The governor signed Malcolm’s Law last week. It will go into effect Jan. 1.

“It can’t happen a day sooner,” Kent said. “And I know it won’t bring Malcolm back, but I’m prayerful that his legacy will now be measured in lives saved.”

There are similar bills in other states. Kent is working with moms who have lost loved ones to fentanyl on getting a federal bill passed.

Correction (Thursday, March 27, 5:41 a.m.): This story previously misspelled Malcolm Kent’s first name. It has been updated.