Teen charged in heroin overdose of girlfriend

A Hofstra University student was charged Friday with manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide in connection to the heroin overdose death of his girlfriend.

Olivia McClellan, 19, was found dead in her Hofstra dorm room in April. Her boyfriend, Joseph Joudah, also 19, of Islip Terrace, was arrested Friday for allegedly injecting her with a lethal dose of heroin.

"Immediately, she could not breathe. Immediately, her eyes were rolling back in her head. Immediately, her legs began shaking violently," said acting District Attorney Madeline Singas.

Singas says Joudah injected McClellan with the drug knowing that she was already on prescription medication. He then allegedly shot himself up with heroin and left her alone in her room for hours before calling for help.

Joudah's attorney, Kevin Keating, says both teens were addicted to the drug and McClellan's overdose was accidental. He also questioned the timing of his client's arrest, which comes days ahead of Election Day.

Singas denied any connection between Joudah's arrest and her campaign for the Nassau DA job.

If convicted of manslaughter, Joudah faces five to 15 years in prison.