A Sarnia woman has pleaded guilty to criminal negligence causing the death of a man by drug overdose nearly two years ago.
Karen Ebel-Savage, 59, also pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of Justice Thursday morning, to drug trafficking.
On August 9, 2017, Sarnia police said a 38-year-old man died at an Indian Road residence after taking cocaine that had been laced with deadly fentanyl.
Savage was initially charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking, and an additional charge of manslaughter was added in March last year based on further evidence obtained in the sudden death investigation.
Savage pleaded guilty Thursday to the lesser charge of criminal negligence causing death and is to be sentenced September 12, 2019.
Sarnia Police Chief Norm Hansen said there are criminal consequences to selling illicit drugs.
"We do want to get the message out that this conviction shows our attitude about this," said Hansen. "If someone's willing to sell illicit drugs and those drugs cause death, the person selling is going to be held accountable, which this conviction for criminal negligence causing death shows."
Chief Hansen said the extreme danger in the opioid crisis is that some users unknowingly take drugs that contain dangerous substances like fentanyl.
While police don't condone the use of illicit drugs they recommend users know who they're purchasing from, not take drugs alone, and have access to Narcan in the event of an opioid overdose.
-With files from Dave Dentinger