Landlord finds Ambridge man overdosed with 2-year-old ‘hugging' his leg

AMBRIDGE, Pa. — For the second time in just over six weeks, an Ambridge man overdosed on heroin while he was supposed to be babysitting a 2-year-old boy, police said.

Justin Kriest was found Sept. 9, the second time he overdosed, inside a home on 13th Street. The discovery was made by the landlord, who said he’ll never forget what he saw.

“I went and rounded the corner and found him looking dead in the kitchen with that little boy just hugging on his leg,” Rick Nelson, the landlord, said.

Kriest was in court Tuesday and took a plea of six months to two years in jail, followed by 18 months’ probation.

Ambridge Police Chief Jim Mann said incidents such as the one involving Kriest are indicative of the heroin epidemic sweeping the country. Ambridge is not exempt from the epidemic, and first responders are forced to devote a lot of their time to responding to overdoses.

“We have a young man in town who has overdosed 10 times since July. I don't know what the answer is,” Mann said.

Anyone seeking resources on drug use can visit the links below: 

• National Institute on Drug Abuse: The Danger of Overdoses
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Injury Prevention and Control - Prescription Drug Overdose
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: Find a Treatment Center

Cox Media Group