SAUK RAPIDS, MN (trfnews.i234.me) – A tragic turn of events has led to the charging of three individuals in connection with the fatal drug overdose of a 16-year-old teenager in Sauk Rapids earlier this year.
The harrowing incident unfolded on March 2nd when Sauk Rapids Police responded to a distress call in the 300 block of 10th Avenue North. Upon arrival, officers discovered the teenager unresponsive on the floor outside a bathroom, with no signs of breathing. Despite valiant life-saving efforts, authorities noted that the teenager was tragically already beyond help, his body cold to the touch, indicating he had succumbed to the overdose some time prior.
According to charges filed in Benton County District Court, the circumstances surrounding the teenager’s death paint a distressing picture. Allegations suggest that 47-year-old Anthony Costello, who claimed to have been romantically involved with the teenager’s mother, had engaged in drug use with the teenager prior to his untimely demise.
Court records further reveal that the teenager had made arrangements with his mother, 38-year-old Crystal Swenson, and 33-year-old Fox Bellanger, to purchase cocaine from them. It’s alleged that Costello and the teenager indulged in cocaine consumption upon the teenager’s return to Costello’s residence in Sauk Rapids.
In a chilling sequence of events, Costello recounted finding the teenager unresponsive on the floor hours later, attempting unsuccessfully to revive him before ultimately leaving him downstairs and retiring to bed.
A subsequent investigation, aided by search warrants accessing phone records, implicated Swenson and Bellanger in the drug transaction. As a result, all three individuals—Swenson, Bellanger, and Costello—are now facing charges of third-degree murder.
While Costello has been booked into the Benton County Jail, arrest warrants have been issued for Swenson and Bellanger as law enforcement continues to pursue justice in this tragic case.
The devastating loss of a young life serves as a sobering reminder of the dangers associated with substance abuse and the need for greater vigilance in combating the opioid crisis gripping communities nationwide. As legal proceedings unfold, authorities are urging heightened awareness and continued efforts to address the underlying issues fueling such tragedies.
I’m Neil Berg reporting for I trfnews.i234.me
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