The father of a Langley teen is urging other teens who may have watched or even played a role in the overdose death of his son to come forward to police.
In a tearful interview on CTV Morning Live, Aron Crimeni said his son, Carson, deserved better than what he believes happened to him: given drugs by older boys last week, recorded as he twitched and looked more and more in distress and then left before he was found unresponsive in a Walnut Grove park.
“They gave him more than anything they would have wanted,” Crimeni claims, describing what he believed happened. “It was an amount meant to hurt him.”
And it’s up to those teens to come forward and own up to what they have done, Crimeni said.
“This is the time where you do the right thing, or you don’t. You’ll remember it for the rest of your life. So do the right thing and phone,” he said.
The Langley RCMP have set up a tip line as part of their investigation, and tell CTV News that “multiple interviews have been conducted and we anticipate many more people will be interviewed in the coming days.”
Spokesperson Cpl. Holly Largy said that no one has been arrested or turned themselves in at this point, though people have attended the detatchment to provide information and statements.
The BC Coroners Service is looking into the death. Police watchdog the Independent Investigations Office is also probing the actions of the Langley RCMP, but have not said why, except that officers were “in proximity.”
The agency did say it is not probing the actions of an RCMP officer who performed first aid on Carson when he was found.
Lawyer Kyla Lee said that there may be criminal consequences for anyone involved in what happened at the skate park that day.
“They could be looking at consequences of charges for criminal negligence causing death. At the end of the day people have a responsibility to other people and they can’t behave in a way that shows wanton disregard for the lives of other human beings,” she said.
Carson’s death has prompted an outpouring of support from the community, with hundreds appearing at last week’s vigil. A public celebration of life is being considered by the family, and a GoFundMe page has raised over $26,000.
