Murder charge not likely in grandson's death

A grandmother charged with giving some of her prescription drugs to her grandson who died from an overdose will not likely be charged in his death, an official said.

Annette Ibsen, 73, was booked and released Jan. 14 on a felony warrant charging her with supplying controlled substances and dispensing a controlled substance without a prescription.

Her grandson Jeremy Williams, 24, was found dead on Aug. 18 in his home. A toxicology report indicated Williams died of an overdose of methadone and alcohol. He also had oxycodone and diazepam in his system, according to the autopsy report.

Investigators said Ibsen has prescriptions for those drugs and large quantities were allegedly taken from her home during a search in relation to her arrest.

Not charging Ibsen with Williams' death seems opposite the stance the District Attorney's Office took in 2007 when Anthony Guastella, 23, was charged with second-degree murder for being the go-between in a methadone sale for his friend Steven Xavier, 21. Guastella pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

In that case, Xavier was found dead from a methadone overdose in his apartment.

Xavier's roommate told police he witnessed Guastella give Xavier the pills and that Xavier told the roommate he'd taken all eight, court records indicate.

Assistant District Attorney Gerald Gardner said while similar, the state's evidence is not.

"The difference is that in this particular case, we don't have the direct evidence that she provided him the drugs that caused his death," he said. "We have good evidence that she provided him with similar drugs before his death but that those were the drugs that killed him is more difficult (to prove)."

Ibsen denied to investigators ever giving her grandson any drugs.

She will appear in court on Feb. 9.