Pubdate: Wed, 15 Feb 2006
Source: Hudson/St. Lazare Gazette (CN QU)
Copyright: 2006 Lake of Two Mountains Gazette Ltd.
Contact:  http://pages.infinit.net/gazette/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4094
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

NEW CHARGES IN DRUG DEATH

Valleyfield - The 16-year-old Hudson youth arrested Feb. 5 in 
connection with the drug death of a 13-year-old Rigaud girl appeared 
at a bail hearing Tuesday, where he was charged with several additional counts.

The unnamed teen now faces a total of 12 charges, including 
trafficking, breaking probation, obstruction of justice, two counts 
of sexual assault and one charge of having sex with a minor under 14.

The court heard details of the 13-year-old's death from both Surete 
du Quebec investigator Eric Roy and the 14-year-old, at whose home 
the younger girl was staying that weekend.

It was not the first time they had gone to the 16-year-old's home 
with the intention of buying ecstacy, the older girl said in response 
to questioning from Crown Prosecutor Mylene Gregoire.

On this occasion, she said, both she and her friend took the party 
drug. The 13-year-old took a pill and a half. The 14-year-old took 
only one pill. The 13-year-old said after taking the first pill she 
was feeling no effect, so she asked for more. She took another half pill.

Two hours later, the girls left after the younger girl complained of 
a headache and began throwing up. Twice over the course of that 
Saturday evening, the 16-year-old went to the older girl's home, the 
first time to bring them Aspirin and Gravol and tell the 14-year-old 
to give her friend cold compresses, and the second time, when it 
became obvious the younger girl was in the throes of a serious drug overdose.

At 2:50 a.m. Sunday, the older girl's mother came to their room and 
tried to reanimate the girl, who by this time had stopped breathing. 
She called Hudson's first responders, who tried unsuccessfully to 
resuscitate the victim until the ambulance arrived.

By this time, the 16-year-old had left the 14-year-old's house. At 6 
a.m., she told the court, he called her to make sure she wasn't 
telling anyone he had supplied them with the ecstacy.

The stricken girl was rushed to the Lakeshore General, then to the 
Montreal Children's, where a brain scan showed she had suffered 
serious brain lesions. Brain death was confirmed at 11:20 a.m. Monday 
and she was taken off life support that afternoon.

A vomit-covered sweater belonging to the accused was seized at the 
older girl's home, Roy told Quebec Youth Court Judge Jean Gravel. 
Although the results of toxicology tests are not yet available, the 
SQ detective said preliminary reports indicated that the teen had 
died of an MDMA (3-4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine, or ecstacy), overdose.

Police also seized the 16-year-old's computer to check his e-mails 
after the 14-year-old told them he had told her he was selling 
ecstacy over the internet, Roy told the court. Two further 
trafficking charges were laid as a result.

The bail hearing continues, with defence lawyer Marc Alain expected 
to ask for bail for his young client.
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