Indictments handed down today against the four people prosecutors and police say were running a meth house -- one with fumes toxic enough to kill a 17-month old toddler. Little Patrick Lerch died from exposure to meth and the chemicals used to make it, says the Medical Examiner. Now the four arrested for running the meth house -- including Patrick's mother, Heather -- face additional murder charges.
(Summit County Prosecutor) Summit County Prosecuting Attorney Sherri Bevan Walsh today announced formal charges against four people for the death of 17-month-old Patrick Lerch, who was found unresponsive in an Akron home in late February. Heather Lerch, Ronald Legg, Randy Legg and Allen Kostra were previously indicted on charges of Illegal Manufacture of Drugs (a felony of the first degree), Assembly or Possession of Chemicals to Make Meth (a felony of the second degree), Aggravated Possession of Drugs (a felony of the fifth degree) and Drug Paraphernalia (a misdemeanor of the fourth degree). Today’s indictment adds charges for Patrick’s murder.
The full charges are as follows:
Heather Lerch, 20, of St. Leger Street in Akron
- Murder
- Complicity to Commit Murder
- Four counts of Involuntary Manslaughter
- Three counts of Child Endangering
- Complicity to Commit Child Endangering, Illegal Manufacturing of Drugs
- Illegal Possession of Chemicals to Manufacture Meth
- Aggravated Possession of Drug
- Illegal Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Ronald Legg, 22, of Akron
- Murder
- Three counts of Involuntary Manslaughter
- Two counts of Child Endangering
- Illegal Manufacturing of Drugs
- Illegal Possession of Chemicals to Manufacture Meth
- Aggravated Possession of Drugs
- Illegal Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Randy Legg, 19, St. Leger Street in Akron
- Three counts of Involuntary Manslaughter
- Child Endangering
- Illegal Manufacturing of Drugs
- Illegal Possession of Chemicals to Manufacture Meth
- Aggravated Possession of Drugs
- Illegal Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Allen Kostra, 24, of Akron
- Three counts of Involuntary Manslaughter
- Child Endangering
- Illegal Manufacturing of Drugs
- Illegal Possession of Chemicals to Manufacture Meth
- Aggravated Possession of Drugs
- Illegal Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Lerch, Legg, Legg and Kostra will be arraigned on these charges at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, April 6 in Summit County Court of Common Pleas. If convicted on all charges, Lerch and Ronald Legg could spend the rest of their lives in prison. Randy Legg and Kostra could spend up to 22 years in prison.
