The fiancée of the worker who died at a metro Atlanta USPS facility is speaking out after coworkers shared troubling allegations about conditions inside the building. Demarcus Little Sr., 45, died at the Palmetto Regional Processing and Distribution Center on June 3. His fiancée, Laura Wheaton, told Atlanta Black Star she still has more questions than answers about what happened. “I talked to Demarcus on his lunch break, and he was perfectly fine; nothing was wrong with him,” she said. Demarcus Little Sr. is the fourth worker to die at the USPS facility in Palmetto, Georgia. (Photo Credit: Facebook/Laura Wheaton) Almost two and a half hours later, she said police called to tell her Little had collapsed. “I get to the hospital and then by the time I get there, they’re already saying he was gone,” Wheaton said. 911 calls obtained by WXIA show multiple coworkers contacted emergency dispatchers after Little suffered a medical emergency. Sister of Pregnant Georgia Woman Killed While in Bed with Two Toddlers Beside Her Believes Shooter Was Motivated By Jealousy and Rejection ‘People Are Very Upset’: Georgia Halts Plan to Redraw Maps After Black Leaders, Protestors Take Over Capitol “We have a young man who has fallen out. He appears to be having a stroke,” one caller told dispatchers. During another call, a worker expressed frustration over the response time. “We’ve called several times, and nobody has made it here. This man has been down for like 10 minutes,” the caller said. Atlanta Black Star previously reported that Little is the fourth worker to die at the facility since it opened a little more than two years ago. Wheaton said that after Little’s death, people connected to the facility began contacting her with concerns. “Someone contacted me and said their partner passed away the same way Demarcus did at the facility,” Wheaton said. She did not identify the individual. One of those concerns involves speculation that fentanyl exposure may be contributing to medical emergencies inside the facility. “She seems to think that it’s fentanyl in the boxes,” Wheaton said. However, there is currently no evidence linking Little’s death to fentanyl exposure. His final autopsy and toxicology reports have not been released. In a statement to Atlanta Black Star, the United States Postal Service said employee safety remains its top priority and outlined the agency’s procedures for handling potentially hazardous substances. “The health and safety of the 650,000 postal employees who work throughout the United States remains our highest priority,” USPS said in a statement to Atlanta Black Star. “We continuously implement proactive measures to protect our workforce against hazards they may be exposed to in the workplace. This includes hazards created by hazardous substances, including fentanyl.” USPS said employees receive specific instructions on how to respond if they encounter suspicious powders or spills. “Postal employees are explicitly instructed to immediately report any suspicious powders or spills that they encounter in their workplace to the appropriate management official(s), leave suspicious materials untouched, and secure the area for proper investigation and disposal,” the agency said. The statement comes as questions continue to circulate among some workers and family members about conditions inside the Palmetto facility. Wheaton also alleged that another worker had recently passed out and was transported to an emergency room. “He’s only 26,” she said. “They’re trying to hide that.” Atlanta Black Star has not independently verified that claim. Previous Deaths Raise Concerns Among Workers Russell Scruggs Jr., another USPS employee, died at the facility in November 2025. Coworkers told the World Socialist Web Site that supervisors stood nearby without administering CPR. Workers also alleged that no defibrillator was immediately available and that an ambulance initially went to the wrong entrance. Before that, Eric Smith, 59, died after suffering a medical emergency in June 2025. In August 2024, Sharon Barnes, 48, also died at the facility. USPS previously provided a statement following Little’s death. “Our thoughts are with their family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time,” the agency said. “We will be providing counseling services to employees at the Palmetto Regional Distribution Center.” Family Struggles to Explain Father’s Death As questions remain unanswered, Wheaton said she is focused on helping her children cope with the loss. She shares one daughter with Little and is raising six children. “I finally broke it down to her, and I let her know that Daddy wasn’t coming back. I said, ‘he’s an angel now.’ And she said, ‘What’s that?’” Wheaton recalled. She paused during the interview before continuing. “I was just telling her he’s in the sky now, he’s got wings. So, she was like, ‘Can we call him?’” Wheaton said. “We won’t be able to talk to him again.” Wheaton is currently raising money to help pay for Little’s funeral and support her family as they navigate life without him. USPS Addresses Fentanyl Exposure Claims After Another Worker Is Allegedly Sent to the ER at Facility Plagued by Four Employee Deaths ...read more read less