Missouri teen dies after taking counterfeit prescription pills; 2 arrested
Police are investigating the death of a 17-year-old Chillicothe, Missouri, girl who ingested counterfeit prescription pills, according to a release from police.
A 23-year-old woman and a 33-year-old man have been arrested and are awaiting formal charges, the Chillicothe Police Department said on Facebook.
Police and the Chillicothe Department of Emergency Services responded about 11:30 a.m. Sunday to the 400 block of Cherry Street regarding the teenager who was unresponsive and not breathing. Arriving officers found the girl’s body and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Officers started investigating the suspicious nature of her death and learned that she had ingested counterfeit prescription pills. Such pills sometimes contain dangerous amounts of controlled substances which can cause people to overdose and possibly die, police said.
Officers recently have responded to other incidents of overdosing due to counterfeit pills, however, those people have not died, according to the police department.
During their investigation, officers discovered that the 23-year-old woman allegedly provided the pills to the victim. Officers arrested the woman on suspicion of distributing the drug and were seeking murder charges, police said.
The investigation led police to the 1200 block of Polk Street. Shortly after 8:35 p.m. Monday, police along with Livingston County Sheriff’s deputies and Missouri Highway Patrol troopers executed a search warrant and found more counterfeit pills along with other controlled substances, police said.
As a result of the search, police arrested the 33-year-old man. Both suspects were being held in the Daviess-DeKalb County Regional Jail pending the filing of formal charges.
Livingston County Juvenile Office, Livingston County Children’s Division and the Livingston County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office also assisted in the investigation.
Police urged people to talk with friends, family and children about the danger and potency of counterfeit pills.
“These pills have been a problem for larger cities and are trickling into our area,” police said. “We have worked with the DEA and other agencies in this area in an attempt to combat these issues.”
The department said it wants to educate and work together with the public to stop the problem in the community.
