Calgary police have laid a manslaughter charge in connection with an overdose death for the first time in the force's history. A 40-year-old Calgary man, identified as Stephen Philip Gilbert Collins, has been charged with one count of manslaughter after a 16-year-old girl died from the toxic effects of carfentanil in November 2025, a development police are treating as a significant step in how they respond to fatal overdoses.
Officials underscored that this is the first time the Calgary Police Service has pursued manslaughter charges tied to an overdose death. According to investigators, they saw an opportunity and identified evidence pointing to a direct linkage between the alleged offence and the death, which prompted them to take a closer look at the circumstances and build the case toward formal charges.
According to police, the sequence of events began when the victim and a friend met the accused in the city's downtown. The three then went together to Collins's residence in the northeast of the city, where, investigators allege, drug consumption took place during the encounter. The account forms the core of the case police have assembled against the accused.
The following morning, police say, Collins discovered the teenager unconscious at the residence and called 911 to summon help. Despite the efforts of emergency responders who attended the scene, the 16-year-old could not be revived. Her death set in motion the investigation that ultimately led authorities to the manslaughter charge announced in the case.
An autopsy determined that the cause of death was the toxic effects of carfentanil, an extremely potent substance that has been linked to a wave of fatal overdoses. The finding gave investigators a clear medical cause of death to work with as they examined how the drugs had been obtained and consumed during the gathering at the home.
Police said that after consulting with the Crown and preparing the evidence, they were able to demonstrate the direct linkage they had been looking for, which is what justified the charges. Investigators stated that their work showed enough of a connection between the events and the death for prosecutors to proceed, resulting in the single count of manslaughter against Collins.
The case marks a notable shift in the way Calgary police are approaching overdose deaths, moving toward holding individuals criminally accountable where evidence supports a direct link to a fatality. By framing an overdose death as grounds for a manslaughter charge, the force has signalled that such cases can be pursued through the courts when the circumstances and evidence allow, rather than being treated solely as medical tragedies.