Typical Tragedy

This sad, tragic story is all too typical.  Boy gives drugs to girl.  Girl starts reacting badly.  Boy thinks more about getting in trouble than saving lives.  Girl dies.  Boy goes to court, and probably jail. 

From the Raleigh NC News and Observer:

A Wake County judge ruled Tuesday that the murder trial of a teenager accused of supplying a lethal dose of drugs to his friend will be held in juvenile court.

That means the case will continue to be heard in a closed courtroom and the public will not hear testimony about what led to the Oct. 3 death of 16-year-old Erica Hicks.

A junior at Southeast Raleigh High, Hicks died from a mixture of cocaine, methamphetamine and ecstasy, according to an autopsy. Police charged the boy, who is now 16, with second-degree murder in January. His name has not been released because he was 15 when charged.

Cary police on Friday released 911 tapes and transcripts that show the boy spoke with emergency dispatchers about 11:30 p.m. Oct. 1 but told operators that his younger sister had placed the call by mistake and there was no emergency. Prosecutors maintain Hicks was in physical distress at the time of the first call.

About 30 minutes after the 911 call, the boy went to a neighbor's home. He told his neighbor that Hicks was having seizures but instructed the neighbor not to call police, according to the tapes. However, the neighbor did call 911 shortly after midnight Oct. 2.

Kids, call the police if someone is suffering ill effects from drugs.  Your choice is to save a life or maybe get in a bit of trouble.  This isn't a tough choice.

In the Young Adult edition of the Voice of the Victims films, this story is told forcefully.  You'll see the story of Sara who died because the guy who gave her Ecstasy didn't do call for help for eight hours.  You'll hear cops say it's ok to call, do call, please.