OC Teen Dies Of Accidental Fentanyl Overdose, Mother Says: Report

FULLERTON, CA — An Orange County mother believes her daughter died of a fentanyl overdose, she told ABC7.

Chrisa Cornejo said her 17-year-old, Trinity Cornejo, came home after a party on Sept. 30. Later, she was found unresponsive by her aunt. Her mother told ABC7 that she believes it is her first time trying drugs and she urged others to learn from her daughter's death.

Fullerton Police have not confirmed whether Trinity experienced an overdose as her autopsy report was still not available, ABC7 reported.

"Police let me know that the initial speculation was accidental fentanyl overdose," Cornejo told the station.

"I would send her your articles about these issues, and these deaths, and I thought she understood and I thought she would never take that risk, but teenagers are curious and dealing with a lot of pressure," she added.

Read more from ABC7: 17-year-old Fullerton girl dies from accidental fentanyl overdose, mother says

A GoFundMe campaign was started by Janelle Ferrara, the teenager's godmother. The effort has raised $3,225 of it's $3,000 goal to cover monthly expenses and bills for Trinity's family.

"Both parents are not working right now and things are piling up," Ferrara wrote. "So we made an official gofundme for that purpose."

There are steps families can take to reduce the risk of fatal fentanyl-related overdoses, according to the Los Angeles County Public Department of Health.

1. Have Narcan or Naloxone on hand. It can be purchased without a prescription at California pharmacies.
2. Avoid purchasing drugs from unreliable sources. Drugs from strangers or purchased online pose a significant risk of being contaminated with life-threatening substances.
3. Never use drugs alone. Have a trusted person present as a safeguard in case of overdose. Anyone using drugs alone can call Never Use Alone at 1-800-484-3731 and an operator will remain on the line and will call emergency services if the user stops responding.
4. Test drugs before using them. Fentanyl test strips identify contaminated drugs. Although such test strips aren't 100 percent reliable, they can save lives if used correctly. You can purchase them affordably online at: BTNX, Dose Test, Dance Safe, Wisebatch, or TACO
5. Know the signs of an opioid overdose:

• Stupor or altered mental state
• Loss of consciousness
• Slowed or erratic heart rate
• Respiratory depression or failure
• Nausea or vomiting
• Pinpoint pupils
• Skin color changes
• Seizures
• Cold and clammy skin
• Muscle Spasms

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