GHB: Deceptive, deadly and often overlooked
Christine Vendel, MCT
Issue date: 9/2/09 Section: News
A few weeks later, Middleton stopped by Bostic's home with leftover lasagna and brownies. She found her daughter lying facedown in her living room.
She was dead.
___
Bostic moved to the Kansas City area with her mother and sister when she was about 1 year old. She danced on the drill team at Lee's Summit High School and joined the Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority at Northwest Missouri State University, where she earned a public relations degree.
"Alina was such a bright and charming girl," Middleton said. "She was the kind of person you wanted to be around."
While working as a bartender, Bostic kept putting off plans to pursue a career related to her degree. She started using GHB through a friend she met at the bar. Her life soon spiraled out of control.
"It was like she turned a corner into a dark alley and never came out," Middleton said.
Bostic became withdrawn and extremely anxious and had angry outbursts. She quit working and wouldn't leave her home. She spent nearly all her time in bed trying-without success-to get some sleep. A doctor prescribed Xanax and sleeping pills.
Middleton moved her daughter into her Raymore, Mo., home to keep closer tabs on her. Whenever Bostic acted strangely, Middleton gave her a drug test. Each time, Bostic passed. But the test didn't screen for GHB.
Eventually, Bostic refused a drug test and moved back into her own house.
At the time, Middleton thought her daughter was depressed and addicted to prescription drugs. In reality, Bostic was struggling with GHB and trying to medicate her painful withdrawal symptoms with other drugs-a common tactic among addicts, experts say.
Ten days after Bostic's 30th birthday, Middleton left work early to check on her. After finding the body, she called 911.
Police crime scene technicians left behind a tea bottle containing a clear liquid. It was GHB. Middleton called police, who returned to get it.
She had to ask the coroner to test her daughter's body for GHB, something he doesn't routinely do.
She was dead.
___
Bostic moved to the Kansas City area with her mother and sister when she was about 1 year old. She danced on the drill team at Lee's Summit High School and joined the Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority at Northwest Missouri State University, where she earned a public relations degree.
"Alina was such a bright and charming girl," Middleton said. "She was the kind of person you wanted to be around."
While working as a bartender, Bostic kept putting off plans to pursue a career related to her degree. She started using GHB through a friend she met at the bar. Her life soon spiraled out of control.
"It was like she turned a corner into a dark alley and never came out," Middleton said.
Bostic became withdrawn and extremely anxious and had angry outbursts. She quit working and wouldn't leave her home. She spent nearly all her time in bed trying-without success-to get some sleep. A doctor prescribed Xanax and sleeping pills.
Middleton moved her daughter into her Raymore, Mo., home to keep closer tabs on her. Whenever Bostic acted strangely, Middleton gave her a drug test. Each time, Bostic passed. But the test didn't screen for GHB.
Eventually, Bostic refused a drug test and moved back into her own house.
At the time, Middleton thought her daughter was depressed and addicted to prescription drugs. In reality, Bostic was struggling with GHB and trying to medicate her painful withdrawal symptoms with other drugs-a common tactic among addicts, experts say.
Ten days after Bostic's 30th birthday, Middleton left work early to check on her. After finding the body, she called 911.
Police crime scene technicians left behind a tea bottle containing a clear liquid. It was GHB. Middleton called police, who returned to get it.
She had to ask the coroner to test her daughter's body for GHB, something he doesn't routinely do.
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