Willingboro Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty to Causing Death of Teenage Customer


Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina announced that a 22-year-old Willingboro drug dealer accused of causing the death of a teenage Evesham girl who fatally overdosed in late 2017 on heroin that he delivered to her Marlton home pled guilty today in Superior Court.

Under an agreement with the Prosecutor’s Office, Austin F. Cooper pled guilty to one count of Strict Liability for Drug-Induced Death (First Degree) in exchange for an eight-year sentence in New Jersey state prison.

The Hon. Philip E. Haines, J.S.C., set sentencing for June 6.

The victim, Madison McDonald, 15, was discovered by her father after a heroin overdose on December 26, 2017. She was unresponsive but alive and was transported to Virtua Marlton Hospital before being flown to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She was pronounced dead at CHOP on December 28, 2017.

The investigation revealed that Cooper delivered 10 bags of heroin to the victim’s residence prior to her death.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Jeremy Lackey. The investigation was conducted by the Evesham Township Police Department. The lead investigator was Detective Andrew Beuschel.

2019-34 Willingboro Drug Dealer Admits Selling Drugs to Customer Who Overdosed

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