WOODLAND HILLS (CNS) – A second Los Angeles-area high school student has died from an overdose of fentanyl, officials said.
He was a 17-year-old high school baseball player from Woodland Hills.
Cade Kitchen, a student at El Camino Real High School — a charter school in Woodland Hills — died of fentanyl poisoning last week and the school sent a letter to the community Thursday announcing the student’s death.
“It is with great sadness that I inform you that one of our 17-year- old students passed away last night,” David Hussey, the school’s executive director, said in the statement. “This tragic incident was the result of a fatal Fentanyl overdose. As a father and a parent, I cannot fathom the loss of a child.
“My heart breaks to know that an El Camino student will not be with us tomorrow. On behalf of the El Camino Real community, our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this difficult time. After the death of a friend, young people need more support and attention than usual from their parents and other adults. This is an especially difficult and emotional time for those who knew the student, the student’s family, or for students who have experienced recent trauma in their lives.
“If you have questions or concerns about your child and feel s/he might need additional support, please contact the school by email at: counseling@ecrchs.net. Please do not hesitate to ask further questions or ask for assistance. We have also included a link from Children’s Hospital LA that you may find useful when talking to your children about death or traumatic loss and grief. You may also visit the Department of Mental Health for Grief and Loss Resources.”
A GoFundMe page has been established to raise money for Kitchen’s family. Visit https://gofund.me/a62ae1f5 to donate.
The circumstances surrounding Kitchen’s death have not been made public.
A 15-year-old female student from Bernstein High School was found dead in a bathroom on campus after overdosing on fentanyl on Sept. 13.
Los Angeles Unified School District officials voted to provide Narcan, or Naloxone, on every campus in an effort to address the increase in fentanyl-related overdoses. It is expected to go into effect next week.