Police investigating death of Simcoe teen; arrest alleged drug dealer
A Norfolk County teen is dead and an alleged drug dealer is in custody, but police are not saying how the two are connected.
Rachel Cook of Simcoe, 17, died at a Hamilton hospital the night of Aug. 27.
She had initially been brought to Norfolk General Hospital after paramedics responded to a call at a house on Patterson Street in Simcoe just before 9 p.m.
Norfolk County OPP did not provide any details about the circumstances of Cook's death.
The teenager's death was made public in the same press release announcing the arrest of a 40-year-old Simcoe man on charges of drug trafficking and breach of probation.
The release did not make specific connections between Cook's death and the arrest, and OPP West Region media relations co-ordinator Derek Rogers declined to provide any more information.
This is an ongoing Criminal Investigation Branch matter," Rogers told The Spectator, saying he could not divulge evidentiary information that relates to the active investigation."
Rogers would not address whether police believe Cook died of a drug overdose and the accused drug dealer is alleged to have supplied the fatal drugs.
A post-mortem has been performed, and police are awaiting the results of further testing conducted by Ontario Forensic Pathology Services and the coroner's office.
The accused drug dealer was in court Friday for a bail hearing. Rogers declined to specify which drug the accused is alleged to have trafficked.
Cook's death recalls the death of Simcoe woman Lorraine Dawley in May of last year.
Two men were arrested for drug trafficking in connection to Dawley's death, and police later levied charges of manslaughter and criminal negligence.
Rogers said the investigation into Cook's death continues.
If the evidence obtained during this investigation indicate charges are warranted, then they will be laid," he said.
J.P. Antonacci's reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. The funding allows him to report on stories about the regions of Haldimand and Norfolk.