Pills laced with fentanyl found near teen who overdosed, police confirm

Ottawa police have confirmed that pills found near the body of a 14-year-old Kanata teen who died from an overdose earlier this monthtested positive for fentanyl, a deadly opioid.

All Saints High School student Chloe Kotvalwas foundunresponsive on Sunday, Feb. 12, by her mother, Shannon Edwards.

The Grade 9 student was taken to hospitalwhere doctors determined she had suffered irreversible and complete loss of brain function, according to a statement issued by Kotval'sfamily. Her organs were donated when she died two days later, onValentine's Day.

The confirmation came Monday as the city held a meeting about opioid overdoses in Kanata. It was the second such meeting in less than a week.

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Kotval hadbeen "struggling with a few typical teenage issues" in the weeks leading up to her death, according to the family statement.

"Her parents ...sought help for her, through a counsellor and other means. They were worried, but not alarmed," the statement reads.

She was described as a well-loved and compassionate animal lover with a "sunny disposition" that attracted a lot of friends.

"Chloe had a spark of life in her that was pure sunshine. The hole left by the loss of our beautiful daughter will never be filled," her parents are quoted saying. "Chloe made a horrible mistake and ultimately paid a dear price, but drugs were not a part of her life.

"We are concerned about the epidemic nature of the use of high grade pharmaceuticals amongst young people and their lack of knowledge about them the consequences of using them are real and terrible."