Women arrested after companion's heroin death

Authorities say two women have been charged with involuntary manslaughter and failing to report a death after a third woman with them died after taking heroin.

Posted 2:09 a.m. Jan 4, 2009 — Updated 2:22 p.m. Jan 4, 2009

MEBANE, N.C. — Authorities charged two women with involuntary manslaughter and failing to report a death after a third woman with them died after taking heroin.

Police told WXII-TV that Ashley Roland, 24, was found dead Dec. 26 in the bedroom of her Mebane home. Alamance County deputies said that Roland had taken heroin before she died and that the two women were with her.

Jennifer Porter, 26, remained in the Alamance County Jail on a $212,000 bond, and April Gaddis, 24, was behind bars on an $80,200 bail. Jail officials said that neither woman had an attorney.

Porter was placed on probation in April after convictions for larceny, simple assault and driving with a revoked license, according to state Department of Correction records.

She has a lengthy criminal record in Alamance, Guilford and Randolph counties and has served time for common-law robbery conspiracy, larceny and violating probation.

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