Manslaughter charge laid in case of B.C. 14-year-old's apparent overdose death
Sept. 17 update: Carson Crimeni's father explains how he hopes the case will help other teens in the future.
VANCOUVER -- More than two years after the death of a B.C. teenager, a charge has been approved against someone who was a minor at the time.
Mounties in Langley announced Thursday that a man who is now 20 years old has been charged with manslaughter in the death of Carson Crimeni.
The identity of the accused has not been released, as he was a youth at the time of the 14-year-old's death. Police say a warrant for his arrest was issued by the B.C. Provincial Court.
The accused then turned himself in, when he found out there was a warrant, the Langley RCMP said. He is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 20.
Crimeni died in August 2019 of an apparent overdose. According to his family, the autopsy on the boy's body found no obvious cause of death, and toxicology testing was ordered to determine what happened.
The results of that testing have not been made public.
His family members believe he died as a result of peer pressure from other teenagers. They say the other teens pressured Crimeni to take the drugs that led to his overdose at the Walnut Grove skate park.
Police did not provide any further details on what led to the arrest, including what role the accused is alleged to have played in Crimeni's death, beyond the charge itself.
The RCMP said there is a publication ban in place limiting the amount of information that can be released.
The teen's family spoke to CTV News earlier this year, as the two-year anniversary approached, and expressed their frustration that time at the lack of charges.
Crimeni's father said it gave the appearance that the legal system thought, "a child with a lethal amount of drugs is acceptable."
Even at the teen's funeral, an event attended by a large crowd of people who knew the boy, his father and other family members spoke about peer pressure and condemned those who'd been with Crimeni that night.
His sister described him as a good kid who was eager to impress.
"(He was) just trying to fit in and have friends who loved him," she said at his funeral, of her brother's final moments. Speaking to Crimeni, she said she hoped he could see how many people attended – evidence of how many people did love him.
Crimeni was found in the park the day he died after a video was posted to the social media app SnapChat, which appeared to show him in medical distress. Someone who saw the clip called police.
Two officers went to the park, but couldn't find the teen and left. He was found two hours later and rushed to hospital, where he died.
B.C.'s police watchdog was tasked at the time with investigating police actions, but determined the officers were not negligent, and no charges were recommended.
In the days after Crimeni's death, a recovered addict and advocate told CTV News the death was a reminder for parents to talk to their kids, and let them know that what they see online or hear from peers may not be true.
Guy Felicella's advice to parents was to avoid pointed questions, which could be seen as accusations or could end the discussion. Instead, he recommended parents and guardians approach the topic as part of a general conversation, as a way of assessing a child or teen's knowledge and experience.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Calgary bridges remain closed due to ongoing police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Kinew, Poilievre meet at Manitoba legislature, discuss each other's priorities
Premier Wab Kinew and federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre met at the Manitoba legislature Thursday afternoon.
developing A bus plunges off a bridge in South Africa, killing 45 people. 8-year-old child is only survivor
A bus carrying worshippers headed to an Easter festival plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass and burst into flames in South Africa Thursday, killing at least 45 people, authorities said.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.