FAYETTE COUNTY, Tenn — Details continue to emerge surrounding the deaths of two teenage girls, and hospitalization of a third, in what the Fayette County Sheriff said was a drug overdose Tuesday at Fayette-Ware High School near Sommerville, Tennessee.
Wednesday, 16-year-old Alyssa Thorne was identified by her father, Mark Thorne, as one of the victims of the incident, which happened just hours before Fayette-Ware's high school graduation ceremony.
The family set up a verified GoFundMe page, asking for help with funeral costs.
"As we all know, this is such a huge burden," said Katherine Henry, Alyssa's aunt, who's organizing the GoFundMe.
Two teenage girls died while a third was taken to the hospital in critical condition. That student is now stable.
Chief Deputy Ray Garcia said Fayette county has been dealing with drug overdoses for a while now.
"We know that across the nation, we have seen overdoses spike and the numbers have increased greatly, we've experienced that same phenomenon here in Fayette County," Chief Deputy Ray Garcia said. "And for it to happen to juveniles here at a school and on graduation night, that is going to be very devastating to the community, to the students, to the teachers, to the faculty."
The high school's graduation ceremony, planned for Tuesday at 7 p.m., continued as planned.
"Fayette-Ware is the only public high school in Fayette County so all the students that attend public school all filter in from all corners of the county to this one school," Garcia said. "So it is a situation where most all the students know each other or at least are familiar with each other, so that has an impact."
Those seeking help in a fight against drug abuse can contact the 24/7 Tennessee Statewide Crisis Line by calling 1-855-CRISIS-1 (1-855-274-7471).