HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – One girl is dead and at least two others are in the hospital Wednesday, apparently victims of drug overdoses, according to reports from the media and the Los Angeles Police Department.
A 15-year-old girl was found dead in the girls bathroom at Helen Bernstein High School in Hollywood on Tuesday night, LAPD investigator Lt. John Radtke told Fox 11 news. Another 15-year-old girl and a teenage boy were taken to a hospital. All were victims of drug overdoses, Radtke said.
The teenagers bought Percocet that might have been laced with fentanyl, Radtke said.
She was identified by the Los Angeles County coroner’s office as Melanie Ramos. The investigation was continuing to determine her cause of death.
LAPD Hollywood officers responded at around 9 p.m. to an overdose investigation. A parent told police he found his missing stepdaughter at the high school. The girl was overdosing on drugs and she told her stepfather her friend was in the girls bathroom.
“They went to buy Percocet (an opioid pain reliever), ingested a pill and began to feel ill almost immediately,” Radtke told Fox 11.
Investigators learned two other overdoses occurred at nearby Lexington Park Tuesday night and the victims are believed to be Bernstein High School students or attend other local high school.
The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to two other calls of overdoses in the area of Lexington Park.
“We think the two cases could be related,” Cervantes said.
LAUSD released a statement Wednesday morning regarding the events that happened at Bernstein High School.
“We are working with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), the lead agency on this ongoing investigation, and at this point and due to confidentiality issues, we have no further information to share. However, school will be open today and we will have grief counselors on-site and available to support all students and employees.
“As we work together with LAPD to uncover details of this tragic situation, our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of both students. We also thank everyone for their understanding and support today and we will share more information as it becomes available,” the LAUSD statement said.
Anyone with information on this overdose investigation should contact West Bureau Homicide investigators at 213-382-9470 or 877-LAPD-24-7. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.
