Fullerton teen dies from fentanyl poisoning, family says; 3rd fentanyl teen death in past month

FULLERTON, Calif. - A local teenager is dead from possible fentanyl poisoning, according to her family. 

This is the third fentanyl-related teenage death in the area in less than a month. 

Trinity Cornejo, 17, went to Troy High School in Fullerton. She died on Oct. 1.

Her family tells FOX 11 they believe she died from fentanyl poisoning after taking some type of drug with friends.

The Fullerton Police Department has not yet confirmed how Trinity died, and the autopsy report is still pending. 

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But her family hopes that this serves once again as a warning for others. 

In September, 15-year-old Melanie Ramos died at Bernstein High School in Hollywood. A week later, another teen, 17-year-old Cade Kitchen from Woodland Hills died from fentanyl poisoning. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now says fentanyl is the leading cause of death for adults ages 18 to 45. 

About 71,000 people died from overdosing on synthetic opioids like fentanyl in 2021, up from almost 58,000 in 2020, according to the CDC. In comparison, the CDC estimates that in 2020, almost 700,000 people died from heart disease, roughly 600,000 from cancer and around 350,000 due to COVID-19.

Starting this month, L.A. Unified plans to have the overdose reversal drug Narcan available at all schools.