14 Year Old Faces 40 Years Charged As An Adult

http://www.wkowtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=12123049





ROCK COUNTY TEEN FACES ADULT CHARGES & 40 YEARS IN DRUG OVERDOSE Case:


ROCK COUNTY (WKOW) -- From the moment she walked into screen on video conference, 14-year-old Ashlee Brown hid her face and sat silent as the judge read the charges against her.

The Edgerton area teen is charged with first degree reckless homicide in the overdose death of 13-year-old Alex Aiken.

Brown faces up to 40 years in prison and a 100,000 fine.

"Based on the serious nature of the allegations based on the consequences of actions, based on the facts we deemed it appropriate to charge," said Rock County District Attorney David O'Leary.

We learned more about what led to Aiken's overdose.

According to a criminal complaint, the day before Aiken died, Brown brought a bag, half full of Oxycontin and Oxycodone pills to her boyfriends home.

The complaint says before Aiken took the drugs, his friend, Brown's 13-year old boyfriend, said the pills might not mix well with the prescription drugs Aiken was already taking.

Aiken said he would be fine and took four of the pills.

The two boys were dropped off at Aiken's house that night and Aiken was found dead the next morning.

Wisconsin law requires minors charged with homicide to appear in adult court but O'Leary says Brown's case could be sent back to juvenile court.

He says he hopes other teens learn from Brown's mistakes.

"If we want the message to be loud and clear that we are not going to take these matters lightly and anybody who thinks its a good idea to deal drugs to children in our community are going to be facing serious consequences and will wind up in custody in court," O'Leary said.

Aiken's family was at the appearance but would not comment.

Brown's preliminary hearing is scheduled for next week.

Aiken's 13-year-old friend was charged in juvenile court with drug possession.

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JANESVILLE (WKOW) -- Fourteen-year-old Ashlee Brown faces up to 40 years in prison and a $100,000 fine for the overdose death of 13-year-old Alex Aiken.

Prosecutors from the Rock County District Attorney's office said today's initial appearance sends a message that they take possession and distribution of prescription drugs seriously.

Ashlee Brown appeared through video. She covered her face the entire time.

The 14 year old is charged with first-degree reckless homicide.

According to the criminal complaint, Brown brought a bag half full oxycontin and oxycodone to her boyfriend's house. That teen brought the bag over to Alex Aiken's house.

The complaint goes on to say that teen told Aiken that he should not take the drugs, because he was on other medication. It says Aiken told the teen he would be fine.

In all, the complaint says Aiken took four oxycontin pills, three orally and one snorted.

The next morning Aiken's mom found her son dead.

The District Attorney's office says Brown can either stay in adult court and be charged as an adult, or the case could be referred back to juvenile court.

If that's the case she faces up to five years supervision under the juvenile defenders program.

The District Attorney's office says they will make that decision whether to move Brown to juvenile court next week.

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JANESVILLE (WKOW) --- A five-minute hearing has ended in Janesville, where a 14-year-old girl accused of first degree reckless homicide was charged in adult court Thursday.

The charges are in connection to the death of 13-year-old Alex Aiken back in early February.

Aiken was a 7th grader in Edgerton who died of an oxycodone overdose.

Law enforcement believes the 14-year-old girl provided Aiken with Oxycodone, which led to his death.

She faces up to 40 years in jail and up to a $100,000 fine, as maximum punishment.