Episode Overview
Podcast: Murder Sheet
Episode: The Fentanyl Files: What Happened to Kayla?
Date: February 7, 2026
Hosts: Áine Cain (journalist), Kevin Greenlee (attorney)
This deeply moving episode examines the tragic story of Kayla, a young Canadian woman who died at age 33 from an accidental overdose involving fentanyl and cocaine in Whitehorse, Yukon. Through interviews with Kayla's father and stepmother (Les and Carrie Ray Mitchell), a review of official documents, and commentary from professionals involved in the case, the podcast explores issues of mental illness, drug addiction, systemic failures, grief, transparency, and the struggle for answers endured by families. The episode also serves as a call for societal change, especially around record access and support for families of overdose victims.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
Introduction and Context
- Content warning: Discussions of mental illness, addiction, suicide, murder, and grief.
- Kayla passed away from an overdose in a “crack house” in Whitehorse at 33 years old. Her family has spent years trying to understand the full circumstances of her death and navigating a frustrating, opaque system.
- The hosts aim to illuminate systemic failures regarding transparency and support for suffering individuals and their families.
- “Kayla was a daughter, a mother, a sister, a young woman with a bubbly laugh... who suffered a lot in her short life.” – Kevin Greenlee [03:56]
Kayla’s Struggles: Family, Mental Health, and Early Trauma
[05:43 – 15:14]
- Kayla came into Les and Carrie’s (then stepmother) full-time care as a preteen, amidst a tumultuous family background and financial strain.
- She was artistic, “bubbly,” and enjoyed being with her younger siblings.
- Early signs of mental health struggles: changes in behavior as a teen, especially after the birth of her younger brother. Concern about safety of the new baby resulted in them putting cameras in the household [16:21].
- Hints that Kayla struggled with dissociative identity disorder (DID), attachment disorder, and later, bipolar disorder—all rarely accepted by her or certain other family members.
- “She could lie really well... and she would always say, 'Oh, it wasn’t me. It was...my twin, Layla.'” – Les Mitchell [10:43]
- “There was such, I think, a shame. Stigma attached to it… at her age at 14, I can't say myself that I would have wanted to accept it either.” – Les Mitchell [11:41]
- Family’s attempts to seek mental health assistance were frequently rebuffed or met with blame.
- “You're the problem,” a mediator had once told the family, sowing lasting pain and guilt. – Carrie Ray Mitchell [13:38]
Systemic Barriers and the Vicious Cycle of Care
[15:31 – 24:31]
- Mental illness symptoms intensified in Kayla’s adolescence. She cycled through hospitalizations, but received little information due to privacy policies once she was legally an adult.
- Frustration with privacy rules hampered family involvement in treatment, even when Kayla was in crisis:
- “When you have a child with mental illness, I don't think that limit should be in place. Sixteen-year-old adult? No. You're always going to need your family support.” – Les Mitchell [22:47]
- Kayla was adept at compartmentalizing parts of her life, possibly as a coping mechanism or symptom.
- Her refusal or inability to accept her diagnoses left the family fearing for her ability to mother and manage without medication.
Addiction and Homelessness
[24:31 – 32:17]
- After the birth of her children, Kayla’s untreated issues escalated into substance abuse—first weed, then harder drugs.
- Postpartum depression and separation from her own children intensified her mental health crisis; drug use became self-medication.
- Lack of consistent, long-term inpatient resources—especially severe in remote Yukon—created a “vicious circle”: “In order to get into the facility, you have to be clean. And it’s such a catch-22.” – Les Mitchell [33:57]
Family’s Search for Answers After Kayla's Death
[39:18 – 53:06]
- Les recounts the harrowing moment he learned of Kayla's death and the sense of inevitability: “The next phone call I get is not going to be good news.” – Leslie Mitchell [39:40]
- Early indications from authorities (Major Crimes was involved) prompted confusion—why such involvement for an “overdose”?
- Their subsequent struggle involved repeated requests for police files, coroner’s reports, and clarity on events. Privacy and procedural barriers (Kayla’s ex-husband was considered next of kin) prevented access to Kayla’s information.
- “We just want someone to say, okay, we... screwed up, or we didn't, or you're missing this component...” – Carrie Ray Mitchell [75:25]
Correspondence and Investigative Timeline
- Family reached out to victim services, the coroner, RCMP, politicians, and media with minimal success.
- Intermittent kindness and responsiveness (notably from Chief Coroner Heather Jones and Corporal Bowden) brought some comfort but rarely led to substantive information.
The Coroner’s Report and Lingering Questions
[54:08 – 65:32]
- Chief Coroner’s May 2024 final report summarized:
- Kayla died of fentanyl and cocaine toxicity. Her body was found in a child's plastic wagon outside the residence; a resident claimed he administered Naloxone before moving her outside.
- The site was known to be a “crack house”; significant paraphernalia was found.
- Kayla's mental health diagnoses and substance abuse history detailed.
- No further criminal investigation; classified as “accidental” and case closed.
- The family was troubled by procedural irregularities and apparent lack of thoroughness—especially the absence of an autopsy, the manner in which Kayla’s body was handled, and persistent difficulties obtaining the full police report.
Notable Quotes:
- “We're not criminal experts... but my understanding was you can't touch a dead body or move a dead body...” – Les Mitchell [64:06]
- “It feels cruel. At this point, it feels like they are just willingly inflicting this emotional trauma, and it's so simple to just fix it... Let us see the report.” – Les Mitchell [78:15]
Systemic Stonewalling and Societal Complacency
[66:07 – 79:39]
- Despite repeated attempts, family was blocked by privacy laws (AATIP/FOI only releases police reports with a court order or for estate settlement).
- Offers for mediated meetings with police failed to yield documentation.
- Multiple politicians, agencies, victim advocates, and journalists failed to help.
- Family feels abandoned, “stonewalled,” and suspects stigma around addiction led to deprioritization (“just another overdose”).
- “Nobody will talk to us anymore. So if there is nothing to hide, they're certainly making us feel like there's something to hide.” – Les Mitchell [72:44]
- “It feels cruel... so simple to just fix it... Let us see the report.” – Les Mitchell [78:15]
Family’s Reflections and Plea for Change
[80:04 – end]
- The Mitchells stress that people struggling with addiction and mental health are still someone’s child, parent, or loved one—they “matter.”
- Carrie Ray: “The bottom line is, everybody needs to give their head a shake and realize that this is a problem that's out there… this isn't the first person that I... I don't know how to put it... but at the end of the day, I just want people to realize... that was our daughter and she matters.” [82:19]
- Reluctant hope that sharing Kayla’s story might yield suggestions for breaking “the loop”—and for better support for families in future cases.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)
- “She was very artistic, she loved to draw... she certainly loved being the oldest.” – Les & Carrie Ray Mitchell [09:05]
- “You're the problem.” – Carrie Ray Mitchell on a mediator’s reaction when she sought help [13:38]
- “When you have a child with mental illness, I don't think that that limit should be in place... You're always going to need your family support.” – Les Mitchell [22:47]
- “In order to get into the facility, you have to be clean. And it's such a catch-22... the people who need the most help are the people who are not clean.” – Les Mitchell [33:57]
- “The next phone call I get is not going to be good news.” – Leslie Mitchell [39:40]
- “It feels cruel. At this point, it feels like they are just willingly inflicting this emotional trauma, and it's so simple to just fix it... Let us see the report. But I think...there was no investigation.” – Les Mitchell [78:15]
- “That was our daughter and she matters... She meant something to all them.” – Carrie Ray Mitchell [82:51]
Timestamps for Important Segments
- [03:55] Kayla’s characterization as daughter, sister, mother
- [10:43] “Layla the twin” – early hints of dissociative identity signs
- [13:38] Family experiences systemic blame instead of support
- [22:47] Barriers to parent involvement post-legal adulthood
- [33:57] On catch-22 requirements for treatment
- [39:40] Les describes the anticipated outcome of Kayla’s crisis
- [54:08] Coroner report details—how Kayla was found, cause of death
- [64:06] Family questions legality/procedures following her discovery
- [72:44] Family feeling “stonewalled” by system
- [75:25] “We just want an answer. That’s it.”
- [78:15] Pain of stonewalling and lack of accountability
- [82:51] Recapitulation of Kayla’s value and plea for empathy
Conclusion & Call to Action
- The hosts reiterate that Kayla's case—tragic in itself—is emblematic of broader failings: the cost of stigma, under-resourced mental health/addiction support, bureaucratic secrecy, and the secondary trauma inflicted on bereaved families shut out of the investigative process.
- Áine Cain: “I think something massive needs to shift within the culture…The shift must be towards transparency…police file will not bring her back, but I think it could be a step in the direction of healing for them.” [90:05]
- Listeners with legal, journalistic, or advocacy expertise are encouraged to reach out with recommendations for the Mitchell family.
Summary
This episode is a raw, compassionate exploration of systemic and societal failures that contributed to Kayla's suffering and the ongoing distress of her family. It exposes the painful bureaucratic labyrinth surrounding accidental overdose cases, calls out the stigma that dehumanizes victims, and demands greater transparency and support for grieving families. Through the Mitchells’ voices, listeners witness not only the tragedy of Kayla’s life and death but also the resilient, ongoing love—and the urgent need for reform—that remains.