Charges have been laid against a man in connection with the death of two young girls after a Richmond house party.
Martin Tremblay, 45, is accused of criminal negligence and causing the death of Martha Jackson, 17, and her friend, Kayla Lalonde, 16.
The pair died within hours of each other. Jackson was found at Tremblay's Richmond home at the corner of Westminster Highway and Smith Crescent while Lalonde, who had earlier been with Jackson, died in Burnaby.
Toxicology results indicated both girls died from a lethal combination of alcohol and drugs.
Tremblay, a convicted sex offender, is also charged with failing to provide the necessities of life in relation to the deceased girls and two counts of obstructing justice. He made his first appearance Thursday morning on the charges in Vancouver Provincial Court. He will remain in custody until his next court appearance on Jan. 23 at 9 a.m.
The RCMP's Sgt. Peter Thiessen told media outside of court that the authorities were "one step closer to having some answers for the families of Martha and Kayla."
Thiessen referred to a "difficult investigation" that took time to compile the evidence leading to the charges. The joint probe between the Richmond RCMP and Vancouver police involved more than 100 officers.
acampbell@richmond-news.com
