ECSTASY OVERDOSE IS FATAL

A 14-year-old Belmont girl hospitalized in critical condition since
Saturday following an overdose of ecstasy died Wednesday night after she
was taken off life support, police said.

Belmont Police Cpl. Elizabeth Ritter said the girl had been disconnected
from life support machines at 7:25 p.m. at Lucile Packard Children's
Hospital in Palo Alto.

Police would not disclose the girl's identity, citing her age. Officials of
the San Mateo County coroner's office said they had not yet taken custody
of the girl's body because the girl's organs were being donated. The girl,
an eighth-grader at Ralston Middle School, was at a sleepover Friday night
when she and two other girls took the drug, also known as MDMA.

The parents hosting the sleepover called 911 the following morning when
they discovered her suffering from the drug's effects.

Prosecutors have charged a 20-year-old Belmont man, Antonio Rivera Jr.,
with seven felony drug charges and one misdemeanor. Authorities allege he
and an unidentified 17-year-old provided the ecstasy to the victim.

Rivera has been jailed in lieu of $1 million bail. San Mateo District
Attorney Jim Fox said Wednesday night that his office might file
involuntary manslaughter charges against both defendants following an
investigation by the coroner's office.

"We certainly are going to seek as serious charges as we can legitimately
do," Fox said. "We believe providing the drugs actually caused the death."

Fox said the family's wish that the girl be an organ donor raised some
initial concerns about evidence in the case.

"We did discuss that with the coroner," he added. "We agreed that it was in
the best interest of everyone to be able to allow this poor young girl's
body to be used to carry on life for others."

The overdose has stunned the Belmont community and prompted school
officials to send a letter home to all parents of students urging them to
talk with their children about the dangers of drugs.

Health experts say hospital emergency room visits related to ecstasy have
surged in recent years.