A mother and a grandmother were sentenced Wednesday afternoon for the hotel heroin death of 16-year-old Andrew Frye.
Heather Frye, the teen's mother, and his grandmother were both sentenced to nine years in prison by Summit County Common Pleas Court Judge Lynne Callahan in connection with the Andrew's death.
"The ultimate price was not paid by either of you. The ultimate price was paid by Andrew," Judge Callahan told the women. "It boils down to personal responsibility and because of that a 16-year-old boy is dead."
Heather Frye pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, endangering children and tampering with evidence.
The teen's grandmother, Brenda Frye, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and trafficking in heroin.
Andrew Frye's grandma: "I just want to apologize to my family and to everybody that loved Andrew and the state of Ohio." @WEWS pic.twitter.com/x2FyB7np0Y
— Bob Jones WEWS (@bobjonesTV) October 12, 2016
Last April, Andrew Frye was found dead, face down in a chair, in a Super 8 room on Corporate Woods Parkway.
Investigators said Brenda Frye obtained the heroin and delivered the drugs that Heather Frye used with a friend, Jessica Irons, and Andrew.
Attorneys for the mother and grandmother told the court that neither women intended for Andrew to inject heroin and that their drug addictions led to the tragedy.
"Unfortunately, she created a situation where Andrew would have access to the drugs," said John Greven, Heather Frye's attorney.
Irons pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence and was sentenced to four years in prison.
A fourth defendant, Donald Callahan, pleaded guilty to possession of heroin and will be sentenced October 26.
Andrew took on-line classes through Akron schools. Prior to that, he attended Green High School.
The boy's aunt, Tammy Smith, told News 5 that she raised Andrew for most of his life and urged him to stay away from Heather Frye because of her drug problem, but Smith said Andrew yearned for his mother's love.
"He just wanted her in his life," Smith said.
