Louisiana Woman Charged With Opioid Murder After Her Second Arrest In Days, Sheriff Says

A Louisiana woman was charged April 12 with murdering a man by giving him a lethal amount of opioids.

Authorities in the Morgan City area alleged Christen Brown, 42, killed Harold Sheets, 37, in August 2022. She faces a second-degree murder charge.

A police statement said the St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Department determined in recent days that Brown “administered a toxic drug” to Sheets. The exact drug and further details were not disclosed.

Brown actually was arrested April 10 in a different drug-related case.

Police told the Morgan City Daily Review that an unidentified woman was found on the same street in January, showing signs of overdosing. Brown is accused of delaying medical aid by searching for Narcan instead of calling 911.

A police statement indicated that woman survived but is “still under medical care.”

Brown is charged in that case with failure to seek assistance.

A police statement noted that it has Narcan. Many law enforcement agencies carry it, so officers can administer it during emergencies.

The Food and Drug Administration approved over-the-counter sales of Narcan in late March. But Scientific American reports it's not expected to be widely available until late summer.

Brown was held Thursday on an enhanced $250,000 bond.