London man charged with manslaughter in overdose death of teen

The London man who allegedly sold a teenager the drugs that led to his death has been charged with manslaughter.

London police said Thursday that Logan Beckett, 23, appeared in court following an investigation that started in January after a 17-year old boy overdosed on an undisclosed type of drug.

An autopsy conducted after he died on Jan. 23 concluded the drugs were the cause of death.

Police said Beckett is also facing a long list of charges related to trafficking narcotics, possession and failing to comply with previous court orders.

He was first arrested in March in relation to the teen's death and was charged with offences relating to approximately $7,000 worth of cocaine, methamphetamine and Dilauded pills seized by police.

This week, the suspect was found with cocaine, Dilaudid tablets and approximately $3,000 worth of prescription pills used to treat Attention Deficit Disorder.

Canadian courts have been grappling with cases involving deaths linked to fentanyl for the better part of a decade, as charges for manslaughter and criminal negligence causing death associated with trafficking show up with increasing frequency.

Earlier this year, CBC News reviewed the current cases and found an evolution in sentences ranging from 18 months to 10 years.

In one 2023 case, a judge said appeal courts have made it clear that sentences for trafficking fentanyl "need to go up and not down."