A 15-year-old Pennsylvania girl died, and the man who gave her the fentanyl was sentenced after pleading guilty, according to Attorney General Dave Sunday.
Shakeirs Foster, 29, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and delivery in Allegheny Court. He was sentenced to two and a half to six years in state prison, with no option for boot camp or a sentence reduction.
According to Sunday, the adolescent died at a hospital from “recent fentanyl use,” one week after Foster gave the narcotics on May 7, 2024.
The Attorney General’s Office, the North Fayette Police, and the 51st Statewide Investigating Grand Jury all conducted investigations before charging Foster.
“This unspeakable tragedy epitomizes the devastation fentanyl causes—a young woman’s hopes and dreams shattered, and her loved ones left with pain and heartache,” Sunday stated. “That is why we, along with law enforcement partners, continue to target predatory traffickers who value a few dollars over human life.”
A member of the victim’s family read an impact statement in court on behalf of the family.
“(Our child’s) life was taken from her in the one place she should have felt safest: our home. “Because of the defendant’s actions, the apartment we shared became a source of trauma,” the statement stated in part. “The defendant did more than just take one life; he destroyed the cornerstone of our family. He stole prom evenings, summer memories, and the future of a wonderful, hilarious girl who deserved to mature.”
Witnesses told investigators that Foster entered the victim’s apartment that day and left shortly after. The teen quickly went unresponsive, prompting the call to 911. She was transported to the hospital but never regained consciousness, dying seven days later on May 14, 2024.
Sunday stated in an earlier release that Foster sold the drugs for sexual activities since the adolescent did not have much money.