TEEN ON LIFE SUPPORT AFTER HEROIN OVERDOSE

Friend discovers Plano girl unconscious after party

A 17-year-old Plano girl was brain-dead and on life support Sunday night
after suffering an apparent heroin and cocaine overdose the night before, a
representative of her family said.

Natacha Marie Campbell was rushed to Baylor Richardson Medical Center
around 4:30 a.m. Saturday when a friend discovered her unconscious after a
party.

"At this point, it would be miraculous for her to make a full recovery,"
said Patricia Riley, a Dallas lawyer who spoke from the hospital on behalf
of Natacha's family.

"Her organs are failing and her brain is not functioning. She's not doing
anything on her own. Her heart rate is stable, but she's currently on a
respirator."

Natacha's family was expected to meet with doctors Monday afternoon to
decide whether to take her off life support, Mrs. Riley said.

"The percentages [for recovery] are low, like slim to none," said Natacha's
brother, 23-year-old Lance Campbell. "We're just all here tonight, praying
and hoping for a miracle."

At least 11 other people with Plano connections have died of heroin
overdoses since 1996, and several more fatal overdoses have been reported
in northeast Tarrant County.

Mrs. Riley said two of the victims were friends of Natacha's whose funerals
she had attended.

Mrs. Riley said Natacha had spent Friday night at a friend's house.
Witnesses told Mrs. Riley that the group had been drinking and using
marijuana and cocaine. Some, including Natacha, also ingested a form of
heroin known as chiva, Mrs. Riley said.

Natacha lost consciousness while riding home from the party in a friend's
car. Her friend, 18-year-old Kelly Marie Smith, called 911 after seeing
blood coming from Natacha's nose, Mrs. Riley said.

Ms. Smith was later arrested on a charge of possession of drug
paraphernalia. She was released Sunday morning on $425 bail, Mrs. Riley
said.

Mrs. Riley said she believes the incident could have been avoided if the
friends Natacha was with had been prepared.

"She died from these people not knowing what to do," the attorney said.
"It was 100 percent preventable. These people have no common sense, except
to call 911. They have no real knowledge."

Mrs. Riley said she wanted the Richardson police to consider a charge of
negligent homicide or involuntary manslaughter against any or all of the
people who were at the house on Friday night. But both charges were
refused, she said.

"They said they could never make a case of this because she voluntarily
took this stuff. But, I'll tell you, I'm going to push as hard as I can."

Sgt. Steve Upchurch, a police spokesman, said officers were still trying to
determine where and how the group got the drugs.

Natacha had attended Plano Senior High School last fall but had recently
dropped out. She was working at part-time jobs and hanging around with an
older crowd of former Plano students, Mrs. Riley said.

Natacha was between jobs had been living with another family in Plano, said
Mrs. Riley, who said she has known the Campbell family for 15 years.

She described Natacha as very social and nonjudgmental. She said she met
many of her friends while the teenager briefly lived with her.

"Natacha was not an angel. She did some dumb things from time to time,"
Mrs. Riley said. "The only thing she's guilty of is bad judgment. But
that shouldn't be punishable by death."