Charges Filed In Synthetic Drug Death

An East Grand Forks, Minn. man has been charged with murder in the death of a Park Rapids, Minn. teen who is believed to have overdosed on a synthetic drug.

 

 

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An East Grand Forks, Minn. man has been charged with murder in the death of a Park Rapids, Minn. teen who is believed to have overdosed on a synthetic drug.

Adam Budge, 18, faces third degree murder, manslaughter and controlled substance charges in the death of 17-year-old Elijah Stai.

Budge is accused of making a chocolate and drug combo that caused Stai to have a severe reaction. Witnesses say Stai was growling, throwing his arms around and pounding his head on the ground before he stopped breathing.

Synthetic drugs have made a sudden and dramatic rise in the area. They may be involved in the death of 18-year-old Christian Bjerk of Grand Forks who was found dead last Wednesday.

Andrew Spofford, 22, of Grand Forks is accused of providing the drug for Bjerk. He is charged with reckless endangerment and possession of a controlled substance.

Authorities are on high alert with an urgent warning of a bad batch of drugs circulating in the Red River Valley.

U.S. Attorney Tim Purdon called an emergency meeting in Grand Forks earlier this week with law enforcement agencies.

"We are concerned that there have been two deaths in the Grand Forks area over the last week that may be related to the synthetic drugs," said Purdon. "We wanted to get the word out, as a matter of public safety, to alert parents and young people that these drugs, at least this batch that we're dealing with here, have these added dangers."

Altru Hospital in Grand Forks has seen five recent overdoses on what is believed to be synthetic or designer drugs.

(KFGO file photo)

 

Bonnie Amistadi/Don Haney

   

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