Officials have not released the name of the teen facing charges.
A 17-year-old girl has been charged with murder in the overdose deaths of two of her classmates, authorities said Thursday.
Two teenage girls were found dead Tuesday at Fayette Ware Comprehensive High School in Somerville, Tennessee, after overdosing on fentanyl. A third teenager was transported to the hospital in critical condition. One of the girls was 16 years old and the two others were 17 years old, according to the school district.
District Attorney Mark Davidson told ABC News the surviving girl was charged with two counts of second-degree murder and one count of possession of a controlled substance.
All three girls were juniors at the high school, which held its graduation ceremony just hours after the overdoses.
Illegal fentanyl is safely handled and contained in this undated stock photo. STOCK PHOTO Darwin Brandis/Getty Images
The school held a balloon release vigil for the students in the school's parking on Thursday. The school also made counselors and religious leaders from across the district available to the community through next week.
"We want to send our thoughts and prayers to the families of the young ladies who lost their lives. A common thread throughout our district is family. This situation has rocked our family," Versie Hamlett, Fayette County Public Schools' superintendent, said in a letter to the community.
Murder charges for someone involved in overdose deaths are "unusual," Davidson said.
"I've never seen it; not in a situation of this gravity," he added, saying his office has charged adults for providing deadly drugs but never a juvenile.
The girl, who has not been named by officials, will appear in juvenile court June 7 for a status hearing.
TrekFRC1970 on May 20th, 2023 at 00:47 UTC »
Jesus Christ… 3 kids OD on drugs, and only two of them die… and you don’t think it’s tragic enough so you charge the third with fucking *murder*?
Just… what the shit, man?
epidemicsaints on May 19th, 2023 at 23:58 UTC »
Very small town, population 3400.
The_Amazing_Shaggy on May 19th, 2023 at 23:27 UTC »
3 teens take drugs together and overdose, only 1 survives and is charged with murder.
I assume there must be more to the story. Charging a juvenile for murder seems a bit extreme if they were just the one who brought the drugs in this scenario. Unfortunately the story doesn't illuminate the logic in charging the surviving minor with murder.