By Jacob Mathias

After calling 911 for help following another woman’s accidental heroin overdose in the Village of Plover, a Wisconsin Rapids woman faces multiple felony charges.

Kindle McLaughlin, 32, is charged with felony manufacturing or delivering heroin which carries a maximum sentence of up to a $25,000 fine, or 12 years and six months imprisonment or both if convicted. As a repeat offender, the maximum term of imprisonment can be extended up to another 10 years.

McLaughlin is also charged with felonious second-degree recklessly endanger safety which carries a maximum sentence of up to a $25,000 fine, or 10 years imprisonment or both if convicted. Her repeat offender status also allows for an additional four years imprisonment be added to the sentence for this charge.

McLaughlin was scheduled to make her initial appearance in Portage County Circuit Court on April 25 but that appearance was adjourned.

According to court documents, Plover police and Portage Co. paramedics responded to the 911 call on the 4100 block of Hoover Ave. at about 12:30 PM on Feb. 3.

After treating the overdose victim, responding crews noticed McLaughlin appeared “sweating and panicked.” Police then searched the home and seized cell phones, paraphernalia, hypodermic needles and what was eventually identified by crime labs as heroin.

When originally questioned by police, McLaughlin said she didn’t know where the overdose victim got her heroin from. Later, questioning of the victim and a search of cell phone records eventually revealed that the heroin purchase was arranged by McLaughlin from a dealer named Mike from Chicago, Ill. During later questioning, the defendant reportedly admitted to purchasing the heroin for herself and the overdose victim.

McLaughlin also admitted to using heroin on the day of the incident though her original statement claimed she hadn’t used in two years. She said the heroin she purchased was “garbage” and the victim had shot up multiple times to get high and she suspected she’d overdosed.

McLaughlin returns to court on May 9 at 1:30 PM.