Student dead in possible overdose incident at Queen Creek school, investigators say

QUEEN CREEK, Ariz. - Police in Queen Creek are investigating a possible overdose incident that left one student dead, and school officials say they believe the child got the drugs from family. 

According to a statement, Queen Creek police officers and crews with Queen Creek Fire and Medical responded to Canyon State Academy on Oct. 3 for reports of students having a medical emergency.

The initial call, according to officials, came in at around 10:40 p.m.

"Three students were transported and unfortunately one died at the hospital," read a portion of the statement.

The student who died has been identified as a 16-year-old male.

On their website, officials with Canyon State Academy say the school was founded in 1948 to help at-risk children and adolescents to "develop self-respect and self-confidence while providing vital social, educational and vocational skills which allowed youth to return to their communities as productive young adults."

The school released a statement following the incident.

"We are deeply saddened a student passed away last night at a local hospital after ingesting an unknown substance. As a precautionary measure, roommates were taken to the hospital on an non-emergency basis and medically cleared. While the incident is under investigation, early sources suggest the substances were supplied by the deceased youth’s family.  The presence of illegal drugs within the community continues to be a threat for all youth, and any drug-related loss of life is tragic. We remain grateful to our staff, first responders, law enforcement, and the Town of Queen Creek for their medical attention and immediate response. We appreciate the community support for allowing our students, staff, and family to heal."

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