Teen Convicted in Overdose Death Has Another Run-in With Law

A Cary teen convicted in the overdose death of a friend last year faces a new criminal charge. The boy's family claims the trespassing charge is just an example of police harassment, and the charge could lead to a probation violation.

An officer called to Farmington Woods Elementary School found two teens on the roof of the school and took them home. According to the police report, both had alcohol on their breath. Each was only charged with trespassing.

One of the boys was convicted in July of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the Oct. 3, 2005, death of 16-year-old Erica Hicks. Hicks, of Garner, died after ingesting a lethal mix of cocaine, methamphetamine and Ecstasy.

He admitted that he supplied Hicks with Ecstasy, was tried as a juvenile and was sentenced to 12 months of intensive probation.

The teen’s lawyer, Deb Newton, said the new charge puts a cloud on his probation. She said she and her client would meet Thursday with his court counselor.

"I checked in (after the arrest) and I was told at that point he would be treated like everyone else -- this is not a probation violation issue, and we'll just employ a few more restrictions and we'll go forward," Newton said, adding that authorities changed that stance Wednesday.

Erica Hicks' mother, Kim Hicks, said she doesn’t believe it is a coincidence that her daughter’s killer is again in trouble with the law. "Things happen for a reason," she said.