After 2 teenage girls die from overdoses at Tennessee school, 3rd student who survived overdose charged with murder
After two teenage girls were found dead from overdoses at a high school in Fayette County, Tennessee, a third teenage girl who survived an overdose is facing criminal charges.
The teen faces two charges of second-degree murder and one charge of possession of a controlled substance, District Attorney Mark Davidson told CBS News.
The girl who is facing charges was hospitalized in critical condition, police said on Facebook. She was later upgraded to stable condition, according to CBS affiliate WREG, and recovered enough to appear in juvenile court on Thursday to be charged.
WREG reported Thursday that the judge described the incident as a "horrible sad, sad situation."
Police told WREG that the incident occurred at Fayette-Ware High School around 4:40 p.m., just hours before the school's graduation ceremony. Chief Deputy Ray Garcia told WREG that the office was notified that there were "two individuals that were found that appeared not to be breathing."
In a statement shared on social media, the school said that the students were outside the school when the incident occurred.
All three girls were juniors at the school, Davidson said. None of the girls' identities have been released because they are minors.
Davidson told CBS News that there have been "preliminary indications" that fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, was involved in the overdoses, but investigators are still awaiting a full lab report. According to WREG, fentanyl was found at the school and at the charged teen's home. Texts and social media were also used as evidence.
According to the station, the girl was released into the custody of her grandmother. Davidson told CBS News that she will next appear in court on June 7.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is assisting the sheriff's office with the investigation, according to WREG.
Fayette-Ware High School is about 48 miles from Memphis.
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Kerry Breen is a news editor and reporter for CBS News. Her reporting focuses on current events, breaking news and substance use.
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