Teen's Overdose Sparks Outrage as Dealer Acquitted of Manslaughter

14-year-old Molly Gnospelius died from a tramadol overdose in February 2023. The 19-year-old man who sold her the pills has been acquitted of gross negligence manslaughter charges.

– We feel a great frustration and anger, says Malin Gnospelius, Molly's mother.

Molly died after taking too much of the narcotic drug tramadol during a house party in Falun. She had bought the pills from a man who attended the same school and was 16 at the time. Now 19, he was acquitted on Thursday by the Falu District Court.

However, he was convicted of drug dealing and other drug offenses, resulting in a probation sentence.

In court, the 19-year-old admitted to selling the pills to Molly. The trial resumed in June after being postponed when the accused fled the country during the initial proceedings.

The court stated that Molly "must be considered to have had sufficient opportunities to take responsibility for herself and her health when she ingested the tramadol tablets."

Molly's Mother: "Great Disappointment"

The ruling was partly based on the belief that Molly had previously used tramadol and was warned by friends about mixing it with alcohol that evening.

Molly's family strongly reacted to the verdict:

– It is, of course, a great disappointment. We feel a great frustration and anger. He should be held accountable for Molly's death, but we also react to the reasoning in the verdict, which we find incorrect, says Malin Gnospelius, Molly's mother.

She continues:

– It involves claims about Molly as a person, that she supposedly had significant experience with drugs and frequently used tramadol. These are statements and claims from acquaintances who did not truly know Molly but have greatly influenced the verdict.

Found a Hundred Tablets

Prosecutor Kristina Modig argued that the man should be convicted because Molly, as a child, could not be expected to have sufficient knowledge about the drug to be responsible for the overdose.

– The act involves a conscious risk-taking of a serious nature since the sale was made to children who lacked insight and understanding of the risks associated with taking the tablets, Modig previously stated.

Malin Gnospelius now wants the verdict to be appealed.

– For us, it does not feel like a fair trial, and we have somewhat lost faith in the justice system, that it can proceed like this. Molly's closest friends, for example, have not been heard, those who knew her inside and out and with whom she shared everything.

The 19-year-old claims he did not know how young Molly and her friend were.

Police also seized 100 tramadol tablets in the 19-year-old's apartment, for which he was convicted.