Family wants justice in overdose case

The family of a woman who died of an overdose, and whose body was then discarded in the foothills by her friend, is calling for justice now that her friend is in custody again.

Macall Aubrey Petersen, 18, who had missed two court appearances and had a warrant out for her arrest, was picked up by the Utah Major Crimes Task Force this week after authorities received information she was at a house in Pleasant Grove known for drug activity, said Draper Police officer Ron Jackson. There was no indication Petersen had been using drugs at the time she was arrested, he said.

Draper police drove to Utah County, picked up Petersen and took her to the Salt Lake County Jail.

"Now that Macall has been apprehended we'd like to see justice done to (her for) what she did to our Amelia," said the family of Amelia Sorich in a statement released after the arrest.

Petersen allegedly twice injected Sorich with a "speedball," a drug cocktail of cocaine and heroin, during a party on June 25, court documents state. Sorich died of an overdose.

But rather than contact a parent or call 911, Petersen and Jasen Calacino, 19, allegedly dumped Sorich's body in the foothills above Bountiful where it was discovered by a hiker two days later.

Petersen and Calacino have been charged in 3rd District Court with abuse of a dead body, obstruction of justice, two counts of drug possession and negligent homicide. All charges are third-degree felonies except for the misdemeanor negligent-homicide charge.

A $10,000 bench warrant was issued for Petersen earlier this month when she did not show up at her court hearings.

Petersen was being held in the Salt Lake County Jail on $10,000 bail.

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