My son's best friend OD'd last night. She was 16! Heroin.

[maveric]

She and her boyfriend wanted to experiment with heroin. They didnt know how much to take and she apparantly snorted too much. She died before the EMT's got there. She was only 16.
Now her boyfriend is under arrest (he's 19), and was told that he's facing 25 to life for furnishing drugs with a death involved. My kid told me that the guy isnt evil. Just dumb and didnt know how much to snort. Many lives ruined by this foolishness.

RIP Dana.

[Midlodemocrat]

1. Oh my goodness. I'm so very sorry.

What a horrible tragedy. RIP Dana.

[myrna minx]

2. I am so sorry! Your son must be just devastated.

:cry: :hug: My heart is with you and yours.

[crim son]

3. Fuck.

Just... fuck.

[BarenakedLady]

4. Oh how awful!

I'm so sorry for all involved. :hug:

[ikojo]

5. So sorry for your friend's loss...

a son of a former boss OD'd on heroin in 2001. He was 25. As my former boss put it he had always led his own life on his terms. She and her husband tried to get him to go through alcohol rehab first when he was a teenager, but that didn't take and then when he got into drugs, they tried to help him get off drugs but were not successful.

They had a photo display at his wake and there was not one picture that didn't have booze in it.

[maveric]

6. My brother died of a heroin OD a few years back.

My kid has been messing around with weed and "X" for a while now. It scares me, for when I was his age I was sticking a needle in my arm.This is his wake-up call for is shaken with Dana's death. And just a while ago we talked about my brother.
A tough lesson to learn for anyone, not just a 16 yr old.

[BarenakedLady]

12. I'm so sorry...

:hug:

[IdaBriggs]

25. There is a book called "Parenting Your Out of Control Child"

that has a lot of information about dealing with this type of situation. You can find it on Amazon fairly inexpensively. I hope he stops using, but based on everything I've seen, he's not going to; in fact, this might become the excuse to get worse about stuff, especially if he thinks her dying was "an accident in dosage" instead of "a PREVENTABLE situation if no one had been doing drugs."

I hope he decides to go clean, but if he's still going to hang with this crowd, then odds aren't good based on the "like attracts like" stuff. Good luck, and I'm sorry again.

[maveric]

31. Thank you IdaBriggs!

I'm heading to Barnes & Noble after work.

[Phillycat]

7. Horrible. Please talk to your son too and make sure he wasn't

experimenting with them. I am so sorry for this terrible tragedy. :hug:

[JackBeck]

8. That's terrible.

My heart goes out to you and everyone involved.

[DixieBlue]

9. Oh, god, that's awful.

How's your son doing?

[maveric]

17. Not real good.

They were best friends. She would come over to my place with my kid and we would talk about good old fashion rock n roll. I burned her AC/DC and Old Aerosmith CD's. Theis girl lit up the room wit her energy and creativity. She was an artist too.

Fuck!

[lost-in-nj]

10. I am so sorry

to see this....

Hugs to your son and the girls family....

such a tragidy... :cry:

lost

[GenDem]

11. Very sorry to hear this.

My thoughts are with your family and the deceased young woman's. Such a tragedy, and so needless. :hug:

My son has been fighting an addiction to crack. It's a monkey on his back that he just can't seem to get ride of. When I hear of drug overdoses I immediately go into a panic attack.

[NYYFan]

13. Dear Lord, that's horrible !!

I'm betting your son needs your love and support right about now. :hug:

[NYYFan]

14. Dear Lord, that's horrible !!

I'm betting your son needs your love and support right about now. :hug:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

15. My dear maveric........

This is horrifying..........I am so sorry for all involved.........

:hug:

[Deep13]

16. Echo the previous sentiments.

I'm very sorry, but also a bit angry. What makes this so tragic is that they did it to themselves.

"Just dumb and didnt know how much to snort."
The correct amount is none. He willfully supplied a very dangerous narcotic to a minor. It killed her.

Please excuse me for bringing it up, but it seems like your kid is hanging around with the wrong crowd if his best friend was a heroin user.

:(

[maveric]

19. Heroin lingers in many crowds down here.

There are Jocks, Goths, Cheerleaders, nerds and others doing this shit. Its all over San Diego and its cheap.
Yes, they did do it to themselves. They were "dumb" and the correct amount is "none". But it happened and I feel for all involved. The boyfriend was there. I dont know who exactly supplied the shit but he was there and being an adult,was blamed.
He didnt go out and plan to kill this girl. They Fucked Up and in spite of that I still feel horribly sorry for her, her family and him and his family.

[GenDem]

20. When you live with an addicted family member

you know not to judge. Drug abuse is very prevalent in our area, too. When my son started "experimenting" with drugs, he was captain of the football team and basketball team, and a member of the golf team in our small town. He didn't fit the stereotype, as so many don't -- but his group of friends (who were all good kids) started to fuck around with drugs. Guess what? We didn't have a clue. He came and told us that he was addicted to crack a few years after he graduated.

You do everything you can as a parent to protect them, but sometimes, they get into stuff without your knowledge and ability to stop it.

I hope that for the ones left to grieve that the hard lessons will be learned - but, right now, I just feel an enormous amount of sympathy for maveric and his son, and the kid that was using with her. The consequences of drug use can lead to catastrophic tragedy, and he will pay a price for the rest of his life.

[LynneSin]

33. Herion is not just for grungy out-of-control kids

I know that the Philly City Paper did a great series on the rise of Herion use amongst suburban and rural kids - these kids came from all sorts of backgrounds, all sorts of home lives, all sorts of GPA and all sorts of after-school activities. And these kids all had one thing in common - they decided to get a few kicks and see what the deal was about Herion.

Although it's a fictional story, the movie "Traffic" did a great job of showing just how Herion invades all communties. Erika Christian did an amazing job as the daughter of the newly appointed head of the DEA (played by Michael Douglas) who was raised in upper-middle class Ohio and eventaully got horribly hooked on herion. One of the comments she made in rehab was that 'it was easier to get than alcohol'. In real life that's absolutely true for underage kids

[Deep13]

36. Response to previous two comments.

I did not mention social class or outward appearance. Please don't put words in my mouth. By "wrong crowd" I simply meant they were doing self-destructive things.

[lildreamer316]

50. Em.

Kids in general/Teens in general do self-destructive thigs. If it's not drugs; it's rebellion and destructiveness of another sort. It's their way of testing life and their limits and finding out what being human and growing up is all about. I am not excusing it; just saying it is a normal function of human development. The sooner we adjust our thinking about that and approach it in a different way; the better.
I was raised in a beautiful house with both parents; given every advantage; sent to private school; I came complete with long blonde hair and blue/green eyes. I even got to to to an expensive private college--for free. I flunked out and became a stripper. (I have made this into a positive in my life; btw..)
....and am not addicted to any drugs; but before I figured myself out; was often very promiscuous and dishonest.
?
There is more disfunction than function in American family life. Self-destructive is the norm;not the exception. In all it's myriad forms.

[Deep13]

53. Well, ain't that the truth.

"There is more disfunction than function in American family life. Self-destructive is the norm;not the exception. "

Our modern society is just not natural. The conformity, the regimentation and even the safety leave us wanting to be a wild at times. Plus with all this mobility we don't have the guidance of an extended family or life long friends around. I understand it, but I just wish it did not have such horrible results.

[blm]

18. So sorry to hear this for you and your son.

.

[Taverner]

21. I'm so sorry

I am not going to judge, except that I think her boyfriend is facing way too high of a penalty and a ruined life, all for just wanting to have fun with someone he cared about.

[IdaBriggs]

22. I'm so sorry! My niece got hooked on heroin a few years back,

and I've been dreading the phone call about that situation ever since. I'm told she spent the holidays in rehab (try #3), so here's hoping....

I've been told that heroin is now one of the "cheapest" drugs out there (in the beginning, of course), and that because alcohol sales to minors have been being curtailed, its become the "new drug of choice."

Again, I'm sorry. I hate illegal drugs, especially when they are provided to minors by adults they trust.

:cry: :hug:

[Taverner]

26. I've heard its cheaper than pot

Which doesn't help

Still - I can't help but think what things would be like if we decriminalized all drugs, and spent the money we waste on the so-called War on Drugs on treatment and addiction therapy...

[maveric]

27. It is cheaper than pot.

We live near the border and a lot of that shit ends up in San Diego county.
My kid told me that Vicodin tbad go for $10.00 a hit. Heroin is $10.00 for an 1/8.
I'd like to find the scumbags that sell that shit to kids.

[noonwitch]

23. How awful for all concerned

I'll bet they both thought that they couldn't o.d. by snorting it, too.

[maveric]

28. Thats what my son told me.

He is shaken by this and hopefully he'll stay clear of heroin. And I hope Meth too.
Worse than heroin IMO.

[KitchenWitch]

24. I am so sorry!

:cry:

Hugs to you and your son. And loving energy to all of the girl's loved ones.

:hug:

[applegrove]

29. That is very sad.

[SPKrazy]

30. Sorry For Your Loss, and your son's loss

many lives ruined no doubt.

:hug:

[mvd]

32. Very sorry, maveric

So tragic. :-(

[SeattleGirl]

34. How awful!

My condolences.

[uppityperson]

35. I am so sorry, my condolences to you, your son, she family and friends.

RIP, that is just really sad.

[rockyandmax]

37. get help for your son

maveric,

I'm very sorry that your son's friend died. This sort of thing is a tragedy on so many levels. However, it seems from the story below that this guy had previously been in trouble for drug use.


SAN DIEGO –A man accused of injecting his 16-year-old girlfriend with a lethal dose of heroin pleaded not guilty yesterday to murder.

Erin Patrick Correa, 19, also is charged with furnishing drugs to a minor in connection with Wednesday's death of Dana Hooter of Golden Hill. If convicted, Correa could be sent to prison for 25 years to life.

A Superior Court judge set bail yesterday at $1 million. Prosecutors told the judge that Correa, who has a history of drug abuse, took a half-gram of heroin to Hooter's home near 24th and F streets and injected both himself and the girl with the drug.


http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20070113-9999-7m13briefs.html


I know it is difficult but I would urge you to get help for your son, before this tragedy takes another life.

[maveric]

40. I will do what I can. He's a little freaked by hard drugs.

And basically smokes weed on occaisions. I'd rather he didnt put anything in his system like that. He's been to in-patient treatment for drugs(weed),when a UA showed positive for THC.
Having been involved in ill shit like this some 30 years ago I know that you can lock your kid up and send him to therapy for years, but if he doesnt want to stop, he wont.
One of my brothers wanted to clean up and he did.
My other brother didnt want to, saying that he "had in under control". He was found dead in a Lawrence MA Red Roof inn.

[rockyandmax]

42. been their with my daughter...

The other bit of info which jumped out at me was I guess the story you were told was that they were snorting while the newspaper said they were injecting. I'm far from an expert but it makes me wonder if your son is suger coating the details to you a little... This is just another possible sign you should try and watch for.

I clearly don't know any of the people involved here but I've a daughter who was rather creative in her spin of the facts, back when she was a teen. It took me some time to catch on to her and only then did I start to catch on to what was going on.

You are right... if he does not want to stop, it is going to be very difficult to get him to stop. But that doesn't mean you should not try and keep working at it, watching the details, where he goes, who he is with, and try to take just little steps with him... and then another... and another...

Maybe the small steps you take with him are just getting the two of you to start seeing a professional again and talking about things. That is something you have to work out... but don't let his reluctance to immediately stop deter you.

Good luck!

[u4ic]

38. Unbelievably tragic...

My condolences. :hug:

[Mad_Dem_X]

39. How tragic!

I am so, so sorry...there are no other words...

[mongo]

41. I'm so sorry

I don't know what to say.

I hope your son takes this experiance to heart.

[Shine]

43. Oh my god, maveric. I'm so sorry to hear this news.

Jesus, 16 yrs old. What a fucking waste. :cry:
Blessings to Dana on her journey. May her soul be at peace.

[maveric]

44. I've been thinking of this all day and am really worried about my kid.

I hope that he'll use this and my brother's heroin OD as an example of what NOT TO DO! EVER!
I remember this young Lady very well. She was always talkative, vivacious, interesting and full of life......
I've seen way to much of this over the past 35+ years.

SHIT!!!

[Shine]

45. As sad as it is, maybe her death will serve a valuable purpose

of reminding others what NOT TO DO, like you said.
I can only imagine how her poor parents must be feeling. Sigh...:hug:

[NC_Nurse]

46. That's so horrible!

I'm so sorry for your son and his friend. RIP Dana. :cry:

[VenusRising]

47. That is so tragic.

What sadness that a 16 year old girl loses her life because of something so senseless.

My heart goes out to your son and all those who loved her.

[Deja Q]

48. Oh no!

:(

Oh no about the girl. That is horrible. :hug: My condolences for you and others who have suffered because of this.

Addict or not, to get others addicted is a crime and I just can't have much sympathy for him.

The part that's almost as sad as the needless death is that the dopehead who killed her knows nothing about the dealers to get their filthy butts put behind bars for life and beyond. x(

[bigwillq]

49. How awful.

Your son must be devastated. I am very sorry for the loss of his dear friend.

:hug:

[XemaSab]

51. FUck!

That SUCKS!!!!! OMG I am so sorry.... I had a friend die of an accidental overdose last year, and it's horrible. :cry:

[QMPMom]

52. I am so sorry, I'll keep your son and all his friends in my thoughts.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

54. I am so sorry...

for all the sorrow and pain such tragedy brings. :hug: