Lancaster woman charged with manslaughter in overdose death
A 47-year-old Lancaster, Ont., woman is facing numerous charges including manslaughter after she allegedly sold drugs to another woman who died of an overdose, Cornwall police say.
In a news release issued Friday, Cornwall police said officers responded to a report of an unconscious woman at a business on Ninth Street E. on Dec. 7. The 32-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene.
Following an investigation, and with assistance from the Office of the Chief Coroner, the cause of death was determined to be "the result of an acute multi-drug toxicity," police said.
"Over the course of the investigation, police identified a suspect who sold the drugs to the victim. The victim and the accused were known to each other," police said.
Brenda Lee Fortier was arrested Thursday, and charged with manslaughter and possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking. She's due to appear in court Friday.
"The Cornwall Police Service is committed to fully investigating overdose cases within our community to trace and identify the source of these dangerous drugs, with the goal of holding those responsible accountable," said Chief Shawna Spowart in the news release.
