The tragic death of 16-year-old Gwynevere Staddon has devastated her family and community.
A girl was discovered dead in a Starbucks restroom from an apparent overdose.
An employee found Gwynevere Staddon unresponsive in the restroom of a Starbucks in Port Moody, according to Global News.
According to Port Moody police, emergency services were unable to revive the juvenile. He was found to be in possession of a modest amount of drugs and paraphernalia.
Staddon’s mother Veronica “strongly suspects” her daughter died of a fentanyl overdose, according to the CBC. Her official cause of death is still unknown.
“My best friend, my daughter, my beloved baby… I will never stop missing you,” the mother wrote on Facebook. “My heart just won’t stop breaking.
According to Veronica, Gwynevere has been struggling with substance abuse for some time. Three weeks before her death, she told her mother that she had stopped using.
“I’m done, so I’m fine Mom,” Veronica remembered Gwynevere saying. “Her name was called again, so she said, “One more time.” “One more time was the last time.
Veronica claims she considered putting Gwynevere in rehab, but the waiting lists for public clinics are too long and she couldn’t afford a private clinic.
“If I don’t have $50,000 available, that’s not a resource I can use,” she told CBC.
“The whole world is losing a natural entertainer,” Veronica continued. “Either that or a future politician.”
Veronica wants more to be done to get drug dealers off the streets and help those in need of rehabilitation.
Gwynevere’s life was cut short too soon, leaving behind dreams of becoming an entertainer or a future politician. Her untimely death should spur a collective effort to address the underlying problems of addiction and ensure that young lives are not lost in vain.
In Gwynevere’s memory, it is imperative to promote accessible and effective addiction treatment programs, support for families struggling with addiction, and measures to combat the distribution of dangerous drugs like fentanyl. Only through a united and compassionate approach can we hope to prevent further tragedies and create a safer and healthier future for our youth.