Police will not confirm whether Marissa Ginter died after taking ecstasy as suggested by a parent within her community.
During a Tuesday morning police briefing, RCMP spokesman Kris Clark said only that she was found by a friend in bed Friday morning and was already dead at that piont.
She was characterized as “known too” the group taken to hospital after taking ecstasy; it has now been confirmed what they actually took was heroin. Clark could not say whether Ginter consumed the same drug at the same time.
The case has been turned over to the coroner.
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Marissa Ginter’s online footprint shows a young woman who enjoyed hanging out with friends, music and graffiti artwork
The parents of a 17-year-old youth who died Friday after allegedly ingesting tainted ecstasy are not speaking publicly about her death.
Marissa Ginter was first identified in the media by a friend’s parent as being among a group of three youth whose story RCMP went public with in order to warn others tainted drugs are possibly circulating on Kelowna streets.
A statement released Friday morning said the youths—initially identified as a 15, 16 and 18-year-old—had been admitted to hospital with severe gastrointestinal issues and itching from what RCMP believe to be a bad batch of ecstacy.
“There have been others with similar experiences after consuming street drugs recently,” said Kelowna RCMP spokesperson Kris Clark hours before Centre of Gravity brought thousands of youth into the downtown core.
Ginter’s obituary indicates she died the same day the warning was issued.
Nothing official has been said about how or why the drug is alleged to have killed the young woman; although, online speculation by other youth places the blame on heroin.
In the meantime, a more complete picture of who the young woman was has begun to surface in the online comments regarding her passing and in the electronic footprint she has left behind.
Ginter’s obituary identifies her as one who frequented the Okanagan Boys and Girls Club, while her own Facebook and YouTube posts speak to a young woman who enjoyed music, had a creative streak with a spark of humour and plenty of friends.
She is said to have played musical instruments, possess a lovely singing voice and effervescent smile, by those who took the time to post comments on her memorial page at Springfield Funeral Home.
“I ran into Marissa several times over the last few months and every time she was so warm and friendly,” Alana Turigan on Sunday afternoon.
“We were east field fellow campers at Harambee our first couple years. I remember your beautiful family and I am terribly sorry for your loss,” wrote Marie Lomas.
Harambee Cultural Society offers a camp in Naramata where parents of children with African heritage, most often from transracial families, can help them explore their cultural heritage.
Ginter was among three children Shane And Shirley Ginter shared; she had a brother, Jacob, and sister, Serena.
Twitter: @jaswrites
