‘Your life matters’: Mothers turn heartbreak into hope after losing children to fentanyl
By Emma Burch
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OKLAHOMA (KOCO) — Students across Oklahoma will hear personal stories about the dangers of drugs later this month as Red Ribbon Week returns to classrooms, and among those voices are two mothers who lost their children to fentanyl.
For Karla Carlock and Melissa Baptiste, this isn’t just a Red Ribbon Week lesson—it’s a warning they wish their own children had heard.
“She was 19 years old, and she was a student at Cameron University majoring in early childhood education,” Carlock said about her daughter, Rain. “And then I got a call the next day that they found her dead in bed.”
Carlock’s daughter died after taking a pill labeled as Xanax, which her autopsy revealed was laced with fentanyl.
“We got Rain’s Law passed, and it requires fentanyl education in grades six through 12. So, she’s teaching, just in a different way,” Carlock said.
Carlock and Baptiste now visit schools to share their stories, educating students about fentanyl, Narcan, overdose signs and how to get help. Baptiste lost her son, Jeffrey, in 2022.
“My two high school kids found their brother, and they had no idea what was going on or how to fix or help him,” Baptiste said.
She said that’s why the lesson has to go beyond just saying no to drugs. She said if someone dies while sharing pills, those who call for help won’t be responsible for their death.
“There is a Good Samaritan law in place which protects people if they call for help,” Baptiste said.
The mothers say their message is resonating with students.
“One little girl came up to me and said, ‘I lost my sister that way.’ And another little boy said, ‘I just want to say thank you. Can I give you a hug?’” Carlock said.
The two moms are available to visit schools year-round, and their message is simple: one decision can change a life.
“You matter. Your life matters, and no matter what you’re going through right now, there’s still hope,” Carlock said.
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