AVON, Ind. – The Avon Community School Corporation is mourning the death of one of its students after yet another teenage drug overdose occurred over the weekend.
The district said Monday that Avon High School freshman Noah Pillow died of a drug overdose this past weekend. This is the second overdose death of an Avon High School student in just the last six weeks.
School leaders along with law enforcement are working together to raise awareness and to help prevent more young people from accessing drugs.
According to the CDC, nationwide monthly drug overdose deaths among children between the ages of 10 and 19 increased 109% from 2019 to 2021. And in Indiana, it’s becoming a lot more common too.
“Indiana is no different from the nationwide trend,” Amanda Goings with the Hendricks County Sheriff’s Department said. “We are definitely seeing increases in our young people overdosing and people in general overdosing.”
The Hendricks County Sheriff’s Department is the lead on the investigation into the Avon Student’s overdose death. The department says it cannot comment directly on the case as it is an active investigation, but here is what they did have to say:
“To young people, I would say don’t try it,” Goings said. “The days of experimenting are over. That experiment can literally end your life the very first time you try it.”
They say young people now have easier access to drugs than they did in the past. This is why law enforcement is working hard to reverse this deadly trend.
Julie Quesenbery, president of the Indiana School Resource Officers Association, said it’s important to look out for signs.
“There is always a why,” she said. “A change in behavior. Maybe their grades are slipping.”
And always have open and engaging conversations with them.
“That has got to start early,” she said. “Those open lines of communication, checking social media, and knowing who your kids are hanging out with.”
And finally, they say it’s important for adults to really connect with young people, emphasizing the dangers behind drugs.
“I would like to tell kids to think through their decisions,” Goings said. “Their brains are not fully developed yet until they are 25 or 26 years old. It’s hard for them to see the long-term consequences of their actions. We really need to talk to them about trying to think farther into the future about the choices that they make.”
The Avon Community School Corporation is planning a public workshop on addiction and recovery resources. This will be Thursday, May 18 at the Avon Middle School North auditorium.
