I know that some will say that the fact that the victim was under age 18 makes this case entirely different. I would argue that it does not make it substantially different under the law.
My thoughts are with this victim’s family tonight. This is a terrible loss, and yes it was murder.
KUDOS to the law enforcement officers and agency involved in this case for both knowing the law, and then also actually utilizing it as legislators intended when they created it in order to get dealers who kill off the streets.
Two charged in morphine overdose of 15 year old
LAWRENCE COUNTY, Tenn. - Two mid-state adults are charged with the death of a 15-year-old who overdosed on prescription painkillers.
45-year-old Terry Story and 40-year-old Melanie Bennett were arrested and charged with criminally negligent homicide.
Investigators said the investigation began in February when the parents of the teen contacted them that he was in critical condition at Vanderbilt Medical Center. He later died as a result of a morphine overdose.
Police said the teen was with Story and Bennett and had become ill after taking morphine. Police said they failed to get him to the hospital in a timely manner.
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As a side note, I am certainly glad that when the hospitalized overdose victim’s family told the treating physicians for their child that they planned to contact law enforcement, they weren’t advised against it.
If only we had caring professionals assigned to Henry’s “case.”