News Update

Los Angeles teens arrested after girls overdose in school bathroom

Two teen boys were arrested on Thursday after a 15-year-old girl fatally overdosed on fentanyl-laced pills in a bathroom at Helen Bernstein High School in Hollywood, The Los Angeles Times reported.

One of the boys, a 15-year-old, was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after allegedly selling the pills to two girls. The other boy, a 16-year-old, is accused of selling narcotics, according to the Times.

Police say the girls believed they were being sold Percocet, and crushed and snorted the pills sometime between 12:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. in the bathroom. Paramedics found the deceased girl, identified as Melanie Ramos, around 9 p.m. The other girl was taken to the hospital.

Over the last three weeks, at least six Los Angeles Unified students have been involved in drug use, according to the Times, “some resulting in overdose, some resulting in students being transported to a medical facility, some being immediately released to the parents,” Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said.