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Social Mediaphysical_injuryFatalityMinor

Ava Sorenson, 17, Dies of Fentanyl Overdose After Purchasing Pills Through Snapchat, Arizona

Jan 10, 2023
Arizona, USA
Source

Incident Details

Harm Domain
Social Media
Harm Types
physical_injury
Fatality
Yes
Minor Involved
Yes
Incident Date
Oct 1, 2022
Platforms: Snapchat
Companies: Snap Inc

Summary

Ava Sorenson, 17, died in October 2022 in Arizona after purchasing counterfeit prescription pills through Snapchat. The pills were laced with a lethal dose of fentanyl. Her family joined the SMVLC class-action lawsuit against Snap Inc., alleging Snapchat's ephemeral messaging and algorithmic features enabled drug dealers to operate undetected and reach minors.

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