Mark Thorne, a grieving father, has confirmed the identity of his 16-year-old daughter, Alyssa Thorne, as one of the Fayette County teenagers who tragically passed away on Tuesday due to a suspected drug overdose near the school.
Authorities and the families involved have not disclosed the identities of the second girl who passed away and the third student who is currently in critical condition.
Both individuals, according to Fayette County Schools, are reported to be 17 years old.
While an official cause of death is yet to be determined pending an autopsy, the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office has stated that the deaths are suspected to be the consequence of a drug overdose.
According to Thorne, he thinks that his daughter died due to cocaine that had been mixed with fentanyl.
Thorne mentioned that he resided far from his daughter who lived in a foster home, and that they had a FaceTime conversation at around 5 a.m. on Tuesday morning.
At approximately 4:40 on Tuesday, the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office discovered the students at Fayette Ware High School, just a few hours prior to the graduation ceremony.
To aid in the investigation, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is providing assistance to the sheriff’s office.
According to Chief Deputy Ray Garcia, Fayette County has already witnessed 42 overdoses in 2023, with four resulting in fatalities.
The cause of the recent increase in such cases remains unknown. In a news release on Wednesday, Fayette County Schools confirmed that the students involved were juniors at the high school.
The school will provide grief counselors to support students and staff during this difficult time.
Additionally, a balloon release vigil is scheduled to take place in the rear parking lot of the school at 5 p.m. on Thursday.
Fayette County 16-year-old Alyssa Thorne dies after a suspected drug overdose