An oral surgeon from Maryland was charged with murder on Tuesday after prosecutors say he perpetuated a serious drug addiction by supplying anesthesia solutions to his girlfriend.
James Michael Ryan, 48, was charged with “depraved-heart” second-degree murder for allegedly administering doses of anesthesia to 25-year-old Sarah Harris through an IV stand, causing a fatal overdose on Jan. 26, according to court filings reported by the Washington Post. Harris is a former patient of Ryan’s who moved into his home and lived with him for about seven months.
“After moving in with Ryan, Sarah Harris developed and sank into a serious addiction involving multiple controlled dangerous substances provided by Ryan,” the court filing states.
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As part of his “depraved-heart” murder charge, prosecutors said they don’t believe Ryan’s actions were premeditated. Instead, they argued the surgeon knew the risks associated with anesthesia but still showed “an extreme indifference” to her addictive tendencies, according to court documents.
Ryan was also charged with reckless endangerment and several other drug-related counts.
Police responded to Ryan’s home on Jan. 26 after receiving a call about an overdose. The surgeon told medics Harris was fine the night before but that he woke up to find her unresponsive, the newspaper reported.
First responders were unable to revive her, according to court documents. Narcotics investigators on the scene found several bottles of drug substances, hypodermic needles, syringes, and rubber tourniquets.
Harris’s family members accessed her social media accounts and text messages shortly after her death, finding conversations that “often depict Sarah Harris asking Ryan to procure/obtain different drugs,” the filing states. Ryan would respond to tell her what drugs and supplies he’d bring home, as well as instructions on how to administer them.
Over time, Harris became more dependent on the drugs, eventually leading to her death, according to case documents.
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“Sarah Harris developed an ever-worsening addiction that was continuously fed over the months by Ryan,” the filing states.
Investigators said there was no indication Harris wanted to kill herself or that the overdose was intentional.
Ryan is expected to appear in court on Wednesday, according to court records.
