Teen arrested in overdose death of 16-year-old Ellensburg girl

ELLENSBURG, Wash. — In an expanded effort to crack down on the distribution of controlled substances, the Ellensburg Police Department announced that a teenager linked to the overdose death of a 16-year-old girl was brought into custody.

According to a press release issued by local authorities on Wednesday morning, detectives brought the 17-year-old Ellensburg resident into custody on October 11, 2021 after they connected this suspect to the overdose death of Lauren Larson. Authorities recommended charges related to controlled substance homicide and misleading statements given during the investigation.

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On September 16, 2021, EPD officers and Kittitas Valley Fire and Rescue crews responded to an apartment complex on the 1200-block of North Rainier Ave. They received initial reports of a potential overdose of a 16-year-old female, who has since been identified as Larson.

Authorities say that the teenage girl died from an overdose, and EPD detectives launched their investigation into her untimely passing. This ultimately led to the arrest of the 17-year-old suspect on Oct. 11; though police investigators suspect that there were other individuals involved.

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Ellensburg Police detectives have since released this suspect into the custody of the Kittitas County Juvenile Services Department. Their identity will not be revealed at this time due to the sensitive nature of the ongoing investigation.

However, detectives are looking into other suspects linked to the delivery of these controlled substances.

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