HALIFAX – 24-year-old Jesse Smith died from an overdose after being found suffering from medical issues near Horizon Court in Dartmouth 1:20 a.m on New Years Day.
Halifax Regional Police have now charged Smith’s friend, 23-year-old Jesse Raymond Gaetz, with criminal negligence causing his death after he allegedly failed to obtain medical assistance.
So far the police have released few details.
“We are not disclosing what type of drug it was. We are aware if it. But the investigators don’t want it disclosed at this point,” said Staff Sergeant Bill Morris of the Halifax Regional Police.
It’s a tragedy all to familiar for Trine Lise Good who lost her son Ryan to an overdose in 2012.
“It’s just horrific, it’s tragic, it’s heartbreaking,” said Lise-Good.
Just like in the Jesse Smith case, someone close to Trine’s son was implicated in Ryan’s overdose death. Ryan’s aunt was charged with trafficking, providing Ryan good with a lethal dose of prescription drugs.
“When we first found out who had given Ryan the drug, it was a shock because it was in the family,” said Lise-Good
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She said an overdose death is not easy for a family to cope with.
“It’s just the why’s. Why did this happen? We know it’s drugs, but you still wonder why. What made them take that drug,” said Lise-Good
Since her son’s death Trine and others have started a grass roots campaign called GPDOTS to help get prescription drugs off the street.
A GoFundMe page has already been set up in Jesse Smith’s honor to help support the family. It has already surpassed it’s five thousand dollar goal.
Trine says Jesse’s family will need all the support they can get, including help dealing with social judgments.
“When there is drugs involved there some stigma attached to it. A lot of people think if you die of a drug overdose you have to be an addict. Some of the comments that people write are pretty hurtful,” said Lise-Good.
Jesse Raymond Gaetz is due in Provincial Court in Jan. 4.
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