Five Minnesota teenagers have been charged with murder in the death of a 17-year-old girl who authorities say was supplied with a dangerous synthetic form of LSD.
"There's a big lesson to be had out of this," Orput continued. "The lesson is: Guys, this isn't harmless. Handing out drugs to each other isn't harmless. This isn't a bag of weed. ... Nobody's dying from that stuff."
The five teens have been charged with third-degree murder in the death of Tara Fitzgerald. The defendants are identified as Cole Alexander Matenaer and Alexander Lee Claussen, both 19, and 17-year-olds Sydney Clair Johnson, Alistair Curtis Berg and Brian Phillip Norlander.
Johnson, Berg and Norlander also face charges for the alleged sale of dangerous drugs to someone under 18, authorities said.
According to Orput, the teen defendants were buying and selling a synthetic form of LSD. The drugs were allegedly supplied by Claussen to the other defendants and Norlander ultimately provided it to Fitzgerald, the prosecutor said.
Advertisement
Fitzgerald, a junior at Woodbury High School, was found unresponsive on January 11, after a slumber party at her home. The teen was transported to Regions Hospital in St. Paul, where she was pronounced dead.
The office of the Ramsey County medical examiner determined the drug that killed Fitzgerald was a synthetic form of LSD known clinically as 25i-NBOMe.
The criminal complaint states Fitzgerald and a girlfriend, who was staying overnight at her house, had each taken 25i-NBOMe. Videos found on the girls' cellphones allegedly show them under the influence of the drug, the complaint said.
According to Pamela Capaci, the executive director of Prevention Links, an organization specializing in preventing drug abuse, 25i-NBOMe, known on the streets as "N-Bomb," "25-Eye," or "Smiles," is a very dangerous hallucinogenic drug.
"It's actually one of the most deadly designer drugs on the market today," Capaci told The Huffington Post. "The chemical compound is similar to LSD and there is a mixture of other unstable synthetic chemical compounds."
Advertisement
Capaci said users of the drug can experience hallucinations, erratic thoughts and behavior.
"It can raise blood pressure and people can go into seizures," she said. "It is similar to bath salts, in that it can produce an adrenalin effect."
The Drug Enforcement Administration reports 25i-NBOMe and its close relatives, like 25C-NBOMe, are responsible for at least 14 deaths in 11 states between 2012 and 2013.
Capaci said part of the problem is the drug is growing in popularity, especially with teenagers.
CASE PHOTOS: (Story Continues Below)
Tara Fitzgerald
In Fitzgerald's case, it remains unclear what prompted the teen to take the drug, other than curiosity. There is no indication she had previously experimented with illegal substances.
Her obituary described her as a talented artist and musician who loved to "skateboard, bake, make funny faces [and] had a love for everything British, especially British music."
Linda Plante, Fitzgerald's principal at Woodbury High School, described her as an "excellent student and a valued member" of the school community in a statement sent out after the teen's death.
"She was not a big party girl," Hedahl said. "She was a leader, witty, with a sense of humor."
Speaking alongside Orput on Wednesday, Washington County Sheriff Bill Hutton praised the severity charges the prosecutor has filed in connection with Fitzgerald's death.
"The question needs to be asked: when is enough enough?" Hutton said. "People have to stand up and say we're done with this, this is enough. We have to have solutions and cooperation from everybody to make it stop."
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.