17-year-old facing charges over students’ death

JACKSON, Tenn. — A 17-year-old student is facing charges after the death of two others.

According to the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, the 17-year-old Fayette-Ware High School junior is facing two counts of second-degree murder in relation to the death of two other students.

On Tuesday, May 16, the sheriff’s office arrived at the high school to find two students — 16 and 17 — dead from what appeared to be a drug overdose in a vehicle in the parking lot.

A third student, who appeared to be under the influence of narcotics, according to the sheriff’s office, was also in the vehicle.

She was taken to the hospital and later released, the sheriff’s office said.

Wednesday, that same student was charged, the sheriff’s office said. She appeared for a court hearing Thursday morning.

The 17-year-old was released into the custody of her grandmother and is wearing an ankle monitor, the sheriff’s office said.

They say she is on house arrest and can only attend school and counseling.

The sheriff’s office says her next hearing in the case is scheduled for June 7, a status hearing.

The sheriff’s office says that the narcotics involved in the case were sent to the crime lab for analysis, but the preliminary information indicates that fentanyl was found.

Read the full news release from the sheriff’s office here.

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