WESTFIELD – Police arrested a city man Saturday who allegedly provided heroin that caused the death of a Westfield High School junior.
Westfield High School reported by robocall Saturday evening that 11th-grader Lillian (Lily) Anderson, 16, had passed away.
Public and Media Information Director for the Hampden District Attorney’s Office Jim Leydon said in a statement Monday morning that Seth Lombard-Hawthorne, 22, of 5 Meadow Street, Apartment 1, was arrested by the Westfield Police Department and Massachusetts State Police assigned to Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni’s Office on charges of distribution and possession of heroin.
Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the District Attorney’s Office were called to investigate the unattended death of Anderson on Saturday, according to Leydon.
Westfield police logs show a medical emergency call was received at 10:09 a.m. Saturday morning when Anderson was found unconscious and not breathing. CPR was administerd, according to the logs.
Leydon said that during the course of the investigation both the Westfield Police and Massachusetts State Police became aware of Lombard-Hawthorne as the potential individual who provided heroin to Anderson.
Lombard-Hawthorne was arrested at 5:41 p.m. Saturday on charges of distribution of Class A drug and possession of Class A drug, according to police logs.
“After the arrest of Lombard-Hawthorne by the Westfield Police Department, a subsequent search of his car yielded several bags of heroin leading to possession charges,” Leydon said.
Seth Lombard-Hawthorne is scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Westfield District Court.
“First, my thoughts are with the Anderson family during this difficult time,” said Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni. “I would like to thank both the Westfield Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police detectives who are assigned to my office for their quick and thorough investigation leading to the arrest of a suspect.”
“With this tragic loss of life, I would like to highlight the ‘Good Samaritan Law’, which ensures that those who call 911 to report an overdose for themselves or others will not be charged with the possession or use of opiates,” said Gulluni. “In addition, Naloxone or ‘Narcan’, the drug that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, is available over the counter in most pharmacies.”
Jeff Champagne, Lily’s friend and a 2015 graduate of the Westfield Technical Academy called Anderson an “amazing friend.”
Champagne, who volunteered for the past five years with Lily at the Westfield Park and Recreation Department, said she had “an amazing personality, (was) ultra nice, (and) always seemed to be happy.”
Champagne is designing a memorial sticker with Lily’s initials on it. He plans to sell 200 of them for $5 each with all proceeds going to Anderson’s family.
Principal Dennis Duquette said that the school was open on Sunday from 2-5 p.m. for friends, family and faculty to celebrate her life. Counselors will also be available on Monday.
Superintendent of Westfield schools Dr. Suzanne Scallion told The Westfield News that “Lily was a wonderful young woman.”
Anderson had attended Westfield schools her entire life.
There is a Facebook page for Anderson listed under the name Lily Amaya, but she hadn’t used it since August 2013.
Still social media is buzzing with shock over Anderson’s passing.
With the photograph on Facebook showing him and Lily at his senior prom at Westfield Voc Tech last year, Champagne wrote: “Make sure you hug those who are near to you tonight. For you may never know whether they will be around tomorrow. Rest In Peace, thank you for the good times. See you again someday Lily.”
Another friend, Jennifer, posted: “RIP beautiful Lily Amaya. You are light, you are spice, you are creativity, you are deep thought, you are music, you are art, you are love…you will be so deeply missed by this world…”
Staff Writer Christine Charnosky can be reached at [email protected]
