The Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner’s Office says it has determined that two Damonte Ranch High School students died of fentanyl overdoses. 

The ME's Office says 17-year-old Daniel Davis of Reno died on January 29, 2020. The coroner says his cause of death was acute fentanyl and MDA (methylenedioxyamphetamine) intoxication.

The ME's Office says 18-year-old Jacob Miles Eckart, also of Reno, died on February 3, 2020. The coroner says his cause of death was acute fentanyl intoxication.

Authorities say the manner of death in both cases was accidental, and according to their investigation, each of the young men may have thought that they were abusing prescription pain pills.

Officials say there's a growing problem of counterfeit pills that could be laced with deadly drugs as in this case, which is why they are urging parents to talk to kids about the dangers of prescriptions drugs.

To learn more you can visit Join Together Northern Nevada.

The Washoe County School District released this statement on Thursday:

The Board of Trustees and the Washoe County School District are committed to providing the supports and resources needed by each of our students and staff members every day of the year, but especially during times of crisis. As evidence of that important commitment, it is worth noting that despite years of deep budget cuts, our District has retained at least one trained school counselor in each of its school buildings. School counselors are certified, licensed, and experienced educators who have earned a minimum of a master’s degree in school counseling. 

The Damonte Ranch High School family has coped with a series of tragedies during this school year. It’s important to remember that the news regarding this most recent domestic incident was not related to results of the Medical Examiner’s Office investigation earlier this week regarding the accidental deaths of two other students. Today, Interim Superintendent Dr. Kristen McNeill, Lead Area Superintendent Dr. Troy Parks, and other administrative staff have visited the school, offering their assistance and any support the school needs.
 
These resources are being offered to the DRHS family, and will continue coming to the school for as long as the students and staff need their assistance: 

  • Counselors, social workers and school psychologists from WCSD
  • Personnel from other schools (teachers, office staff)
  • State and county support
  • Community providers including Solace Tree, Paws for Love, and Mobile Crisis
  • Opportunities for students to draw, paint, engage in music, singing
  • Small groups of friends meeting to talk and share their feelings with each other, with support from staff

As a District, we advocate for additional mental health resources for students in our schools, and we understand the need for increased mental health supports. We are challenged by a lack of providers both at the therapy level and clinical level, and we know the waiting lists are long. We will continue to address these challenges at the local and state level, and we appreciate our community’s concern for our students and their families.
 
We are grateful to our community health providers, state and county resources, families, and staff members who have come together to provide critical support for our Damonte Ranch High School family during this heartbreaking ordeal, and we pledge to provide any and all supports available as they work to recover.

 

ORIGINAL STORY: February 2020 

The Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner’s Office is currently investigating the deaths of two Damonte Ranch High School students.

The ME's Office says 17-year-old Daniel Davis, of Reno, died shortly after being transported to Renown Regional Medical Center on January 29th. A GoFundMe has been set up for his funeral expenses here.

The ME's Office also says that 18-year-old Jacob Eckart, also of Reno, was found deceased in his home on February 3rd.

The county coroner says the cause of death has not been determined for either student but the deaths are being investigated as possibly drug-related. The Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner’s Office is working with local law enforcement and the Drug Enforcement Agency to further investigate these deaths.

Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam released this statement on Tuesday: 

“I am asking for parents to have a serious conversation with their children. As a community, we must ensure that our children understand the horrendous potential for tragedy which may result from experimenting with drugs, even when the drugs come from someone a child knows. This is a life-or-death message. We absolutely must take responsibility for trying to prevent any future tragedies by talking with our children, impressing upon them the dangers associated with drugs, and the crucial importance of making the choice to leave drugs alone.”

 

On Monday, the Washoe County School District (WCSD) released a statement about the loss of two students at Damonte Ranch High School.

You can read a transcript of the Connect Ed call below:

Dear Damonte Ranch Families,
This is your principal, Mr. Bell. It is with great sadness that we inform you of the loss of two of our Senior students who passed away suddenly and unexpectedly this past week. We are deeply saddened by the losses in our school community, and will make every effort to help you and your child as needed.
This loss may raise many emotions, concerns, and questions for our school, especially our students. Administrators and Teachers are supporting our students in classes, as well as, School Counselors, Psychologists, Social workers, and other Mental Health Professionals, from the District, providing support at this time.
Please feel free to contact the counseling office at 851-5656 for resources that will be helpful for your child at home. Washoe County School Crisis Intervention Team is helping with the immediate needs of our students. We also encourage you as parents to please use our resources if you have questions or in need of additional support. The email Connect Ed will list available resources and contact information. We are heartbroken over the loss of our two Mustangs.
With deepest sympathy,
Darvel Bell, Principal

 

WCSD officials also released a list of resources available to students and families below:

Crisis call center – 1-800-273-8255 www.crisiscallcenter.org

Solace tree: 775-324-7723 www.solacetree.org

Mobile Crisis Response Team – 775-688-1670

Washoe County School District Counseling Website: https://www.washoeschools.net/Page/3894

Additional numbers:

· Crisis Call Center: 784-8090

· Children’s Cabinet: 856-6200

· Solace Tree: 324-7723

· Northern NV Mental Health Services: 688-2001

WCSD officials do not have any further information available at this time.