Teen dies of accidental overdose just days before graduation; deputies arrest suspect charged with murder

BELLE CHASSE, La. (WVUE) - Plaquemines Parish Sheriff Gerald A. Turlich Jr. announced the arrest of a suspect accused of selling a teenager substances that led to her overdose and death.

Franklin Senfles, 22, of Gretna, is charged with one count of Second Degree Murder in connection to the overdose death of Hailey Deickman, 18, of Belle Chasse, along with one count of Attempted Second Degree Murder of a second victim.

Upon deputies’ arrival, PPSO and Plaquemines Parish Emergency Medical Services discovered Deickman and a second victim unresponsive. The investigation revealed that Senfles was positively identified as being directly involved in the illegal drug transaction with Deickman. The investigation revealed the illegal drug transaction occurred prior to PPSO receiving the 911 call of Deickman’s overdose. Deickman was legally pronounced dead at Ochsner Hospital Westbank Campus four days later

“The amount of fentanyl currently being used in illegal narcotics is not only dangerous, but it’s becoming a major public safety issue,” said Sheriff Turlich. “We will continue to aggressively pursue any individual that spreads this poison into our community.”

Senfles was arrested by the St. Gabriel Police Department in coordination with PPSO and the Westbank Multi-jurisdictional Task Force hosted by the Gretna Police Department. Senfles will be extradited and booked into the Plaquemines Parish Detention Center this evening.

“It’s scary what’s going on right now. We have a national drug overdose epidemic,” says DEA Special Agent In-Charge, Brad Byerley.

18-year-old Hailey Deickman, a senior at Belle Chasse High School, lost her life just days before graduation to an accidental overdose.

The Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office says Deickman took half of a pill sold on the street as a prescription Percocet.

Authorities say it was likely a counterfeit pill containing fentanyl.

“This is a very high risk that is out there for them,” says Jefferson Parish Coroner Gerry Cvitanovich.

Deickman’s mother told FOX 8, Hailey was an honor roll student who always stayed out of trouble.

The Jefferson Parish Coroner Gerry Cvitanovich says her death should be a wake-up call for everyone, especially young kids who really don’t’ understand the dangers.

“So, it may look like a Percocet but it’s not. It’s actually fentanyl,” says Cvitanovich.

“What we’re seeing is the Mexican Cartels are pushing the drugs into our country. They’re lacing a lot of the illicit drugs with this fentanyl, particularly what we’re seeing is counterfeit pills,” says Byerley.

DEA Special Agent In-Charge Brad Byerley says it’s difficult to tell the difference between what’s real and what’s counterfeit, and the drug dealers simply use a pill press in a clandestine lab to produce the deadly combination.

“These counterfeit pills are disguised to look like, oxycodone, pain medications or Xanax. What happens is people are buying these pills off the street, thinking they’re buying something that a health care provider prescribed to someone,” says Byerley.

Byerley says the DEA wants to warn the public.

“Two milligrams of fentanyl can be a lethal dose, so one of our slogans is ‘one pill can kill.’ It’s crazy dangerous,” says Byerley.

Deickman’s mother says her daughter was a beautiful person who just made a bad choice that cost her, her life.

Copyright 2021 WVUE. All rights reserved.