Killer High: Clovis family turns grief into a mission after daughter's fentanyl death

CLOVIS, Calif (KFSN) -- Around a room array scattered with household photos, the Patla household laughs softly astatine aged snapshots. They constituent retired grandpa's beard, grandma's smile, and the formation selfies Olivia loved to take. It's a bittersweet ritual - a mode to support her close.

"She conscionable lit up the room," said Rene Patla, Olivia's mother. "She was acceptable to spell into the satellite and travel her member Jacob everywhere. And she was beauteous - perfectly stunning wrong and out."

Olivia Patla was 18, a time shy of graduating from Clovis North High School, erstwhile she died from a fentanyl overdose successful 2021. Her parents accidental she promised to beryllium cautious earlier leaving that night.

"She looked maine successful the eyes and said, 'Mom, I'm not stupid. I would ne'er bash that. I don't privation to die,'" Rene recalled.

Law enforcement sources archer Action News that a 17-year-old person gave Olivia the pill that killed her - and got it from Lakota Wakely. Wakely is serving 8 years successful national situation connected an unrelated case, portion the authorities lawsuit tied to Olivia's decease remains pending. Investigators accidental the teen refused to telephone 911 arsenic Olivia overdosed and adjacent recorded video arsenic it happened.

"The lone happening I retrieve that time is rushing to get to wherever my girl had passed away," said Paul Patla, Olivia's father. "My woman connected the telephone telling maine that Olivia's with Jesus. I conscionable can't judge what I heard."

The nonaccomplishment shattered the family. "We died with her that aforesaid day," Rene said. "To spot your girl connected a stretcher - it's an representation you tin ne'er get retired of your head."

For Olivia's siblings, speaking retired present is portion of healing. "It was truthful unexpected," said Abigail. "No 1 should ever suffer a girl - a sibling. We person an bare spot astatine the table. Even close now, sitting here, it's america three."

Luke added, "It doesn't get better. You conscionable larn to unrecorded with it. My household is truthful adjacent and truthful supportive, but we person to unrecorded without our sister. We person to unrecorded for her name."

Jacob said the calamity changed everything. "We were beardown arsenic six, and we're adjacent stronger arsenic 5 due to the fact that of that loss. It's unfortunate, but I deliberation we're adjacent stronger now. When 1 of america has a atrocious day, we cognize the others are present for us."

The Patlas buried Olivia successful the formal she planned to deterioration for graduation. Now, they stock her communicative to pass others astir the dangers of fentanyl. Her photograph and sanction were precocious displayed during a presumption astatine Washington Union High School successful Easton, wherever Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp spoke to an auditorium afloat of students astir the deadly risks of fentanyl.

"Olivia hated taking photos," Abigail said with a laugh. "If she knew her look was connected a large surface successful a presumption astir the country, she'd beryllium like, 'What? Oh my gosh.' But it's good. Kids request to know."

Luke agreed: "Even if these kids don't listen, it makes maine consciousness bully knowing that these radical and my sister aren't conscionable being forgotten."

Jacob added, "They're reiterating however this tin impact anybody - immoderate benignant of kid. It could beryllium thing elemental that these kids effort successful precocious school, and possibly they'll think, 'Okay, I'm not going to bash this. My graduation won't happen.'"

For Rene, that ngo brings meaning to the pain. "It makes maine consciousness similar Olivia is inactive helping people," she said. "Saving a beingness is what my girl gave her beingness for."

Back astatine the room table, the household flips done much photos. Abigail reflects, "As I get older, I commencement to hide her voice. And it's scary. I miss her a lot. And I emotion her." Luke looks up and says quietly, "We person to unrecorded without our sister. We person to unrecorded for her name." Jacob nods. "We're trying to unrecorded each time for her due to the fact that she's not present to bash that." Rene reaches for Paul's hand. "I'm going to unrecorded the beingness that she didn't get to - bash the things for her that she deserved." Paul adds, "Every infinitesimal is precious."

Rene smiles done tears. "We're conscionable stronger. Stronger due to the fact that we person Olivia watching implicit us."

If you oregon idiosyncratic you cognize is struggling with substance use, telephone the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) helpline astatine 1-800-662-HELP (4357) oregon sojourn samhsa.gov for confidential, escaped enactment disposable 24/7.

For afloat sum connected our docuseries, "Killer High," spell here.