Officials Confirm Death of Big Island Teen Last Year was Result of Fentanyl Overdose

A West Hawai‘i teen who died last November suffered from a fentanyl overdose, the Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed to Hawai‘i News Now.

HNN reported last year the 14-year-old was airlifted to Kapiʻolani Medical Center shortly after snorting a substance on the social media app, TikTok. Hawai‘i Police Department has been investigating the incident.

The news comes amid growing alarm about the drug’s spread in Hawai‘i. A federal anti-drug task force told the Honolulu news outlet the powerful narcotic is being smuggled into Hawai‘i by Mexican cartels and that it’s killing more people in the islands than ever before.

According to HPD in December, fentanyl recoveries have been on the rise. Since the beginning of this year, several people have been indicted on fentanyl drug charges including dismantling a drug operation from Washington State to the Big Island where 5 pounds, of methamphetamine; more than 7,000 fentanyl pills; and 1 kilogram, or 2 pounds, of pure powdered fentanyl were recovered.