Gig Harbor teen dies of morphine poisoning; stepmom charged
A Gig Harbor teen stopped breathing in June, a day after his stepmother gave him the wrong medication, officials said.
Dylan Creighton, 15, was taken to Tacoma General Hospital and was pronounced dead two days later.
Now, the medication mix-up has prompted Pierce County prosecutors to charge Karen Inskip with second-degree manslaughter. The 49-year-old woman is to be arraigned Dec. 16.
Instep allegedly told investigators she mistakenly gave her stepson her own oxycodone pills rather than the teen’s prescription for ADHD.
No oxycodone was found in Creighton’s system, and the Medical Examiner’s Office said he died of morphine poisoning. His death was ruled an accident
“When she learned of the error, she did not contact medical aid for 12 hours until (he) was unresponsive,” according to charging papers.
The delay in seeking medical help reduced Creighton’s chance of survival, said Dr. Thomas Clark, the county’s chief medical examiner.
Stacia Glenn: 253-597-8653
This story was originally published December 8, 2016 at 9:40 AM with the headline "Gig Harbor teen dies of morphine poisoning; stepmom charged."