Pubdate: Wed, 07 Apr 2010
Source: Edmonton Journal (CN AB)
Copyright: 2010 The Edmonton Journal
Contact: http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/letters.html
Website: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/134
Author: Alexandra Zabjek

TEEN 'LOST, SCARED' AFTER ECSTASY DOSE

A Paul Band teenager who died after taking ecstasy at a wedding 
celebration last year told her cousin she knew something was terribly 
wrong soon after she took the drug, Stony Plain Provincial Court heard Tuesday.

"She was telling me there was something wrong and that she was going 
to die. She was feeling so bad," Leah House's cousin told court.

Leah died four days later on March 25, 2009. Another girl from the 
band, 15-year-old Trinity Bird, was hospitalized after the event and also died.

The teen testifying Tuesday is now 14 years old. She said she had 
also taken ecstasy that night and was hanging out with Leah in the 
washroom of the school where the celebration was taking place. That's 
when Leah fell ill.

The teenager said she also felt sick after taking the pill and felt 
"lost, scared, confused, and afraid."

But she felt normal by the time the pair went back to a home on the reserve.

The teen's testimony came during the trial of a 17-year-old male from 
the Paul Band who is charged with four counts of trafficking ecstasy. 
More serious charges of criminal negligence causing death have been stayed.

The teen who testified Tuesday said she got her purple ecstasy pill 
from the accused. She did not see where Leah bought her pill.

Under cross-examination, defence lawyer Michel Fontaine noted the 
girl had initially told police another man was also selling drugs at 
the wedding celebration.

Court also heard Tuesday from paramedic Amanda Naven, who helped Leah 
at the home that March night. Leah's vital signs were mostly normal 
when she arrived. But Leah later lost consciousness and suffered 
cardiac arrest.

A paramedic who was called to the wedding celebration at the school 
treated Bird, who also took ecstasy. She was taken to hospital after 
becoming ill and died three days later. The trial continues.
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