News

Fundraiser established for family of the ACHS student who died this week

GoFundMe for ACHS student Yonathan Isaí Vasquez Méndez (image via GoFundMe)

(Updated 11:10 a.m.) After the death of Alexandria City High School student Yonathan Isaí Vasquez Méndez earlier this week, friends and family are raising funds to help cover funeral expenses and other costs.

While no cause of death has been officially announced, scanner traffic at the time indicated first responders were administering Narcan and later that day, the City of Alexandria issued a warning about fentanyl-laced drugs after “two recent suspected drug overdoses involving school-aged youth,” the Alexandria Times first reported.

Méndez is potentially the latest victim in a spike of overdoses among children in Alexandria. Another student was hospitalized earlier this year and a student at nearby Wakefield High School died after overdosing at the school.

Teachers and friends remembered Méndez as a well-liked student at the school who played guitar at his church and enjoyed watching movies with his family.

About the Author

  • Vernon Miles is the ALXnow cofounder and editor. He's covered Alexandria since 2014 and has been with Local News Now since 2018. When he's not reporting, he can usually be found playing video games or Dungeons and Dragons with friends.