Another star dies in LA: Former child actor Austin Majors is the latest victim of California’s drug and homelessness crisis

Former child actor Austin Majors’ death earlier this week from a suspected fentanyl overdose while in a “transitional housing program” makes him the latest victim of the drug and homelessness crisis sweeping California.

According to the Majors’ sister, Kali Raglin, the 27-year-old’s cause of death was “suspected fentanyl poisoning with an ongoing investigation,” but the Los Angeles County Coroner has so far deferred the official cause of death as “pending further investigation.”

At the time of his death, Majors was living at The Hilda L. Solis Care First Village in Los Angeles as part of his Interim Housing Program. It’s unclear exactly where Majors died, but according to the Los Angeles County Coroner, Majors died in a “dormitory.”

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A vandalized punching bag left at a homeless camp is seen by the side of the CA-101 freeway in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Homelessness and overdose deaths from fentanyl have increased in California. In 2021, there were 6,843 overdose deaths in the state, of which 5,722 were due to fentanyl, according to state statistics.

Additionally, according to data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, California accounted for 30% of America’s homeless population, which is only 12% of the total population.

California’s Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom came under scrutiny for his handling of both crises, as well as the state’s sharp rise in crime, and even faced a recall election in 2021, which he ultimately survived.

Democratic Governor of California Gavin Newsom has criticized the National Rifle Association after gun rights groups attacked him during a television interview for his comments on the Second Amendment. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Fox News Digital spoke to a lawyer and mother of a 23-year-old girl who tragically died of an accidental fentanyl overdose last year after trying cocaine for the first time.

The mother, named Laura, described the tragic story of the night her daughter, who she realized was not a regular drug user, died because the small amount of cocaine she was taking was laced with fentanyl.

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Since her daughter’s death, Laura, along with her police officer husband, have been staunch supporters of how federal, state, and local officials are falling short in handling the crisis, including how many fentanyl overdose cases are being treated as regular accidental overdose deaths are treated rather than homicide cases.

“Until these people are arrested and treated as murderers, they will not stop selling drugs,” she said.

US Customs and Border Protection officers seized over 1.2 million fentanyl pills between two arrests on December 29. (US Customs and Border Protection)

Laura explained that it was imperative to do a better job of spreading awareness in schools and among young people of how fentanyl could be added to any drug or pill, in the hope that more deaths could be prevented.

She added that she didn’t want to make it a political issue, but noted that fentanyl crossing America’s borders is another important area where the issue needs to be addressed.

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Fox reached out to Newsom’s office for comment on this story, but received no response.

Fox News’ Janelle Ash contributed to this report.