Key Points:
- Seward, 31, was indicted Wednesday on three charges connected to the death of a 27-year-old Brick Township woman.
- Toxicology testing found cocaine in the woman’s system, and the medical examiner determined cocaine caused her death, according to prosecutors.
- Seward surrendered at Brick Township Police Headquarters on June 17 and has remained lodged in the Ocean County Jail.
BRICK TOWNSHIP, N.J. – An Ocean County grand jury has indicted a 31-year-old Brick Township man on a strict liability drug-induced death charge in connection with the January death of a 27-year-old woman, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced.
Roderick Seward was indicted Wednesday on charges of strict liability drug-induced death, distribution of cocaine and possession of cocaine. Prosecutors allege Seward supplied the cocaine that caused the woman’s death.
The indictment follows a months-long investigation involving the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, Brick Township Police Department and other county agencies. Seward has been held at the Ocean County Jail since surrendering to police in June.
Investigation Began After Woman Found Dead in Brick Township
Brick Township police responded to a residence at approximately 9:10 a.m. Jan. 26 after receiving a report of an unresponsive woman. Officers arrived and found the 27-year-old already dead from what initially appeared to be a drug overdose.
Investigators from the prosecutor’s Major Crime Unit and Narcotics Strike Force joined Brick Township police and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit in investigating the death.
According to Billhimer’s office, investigators determined that Seward had supplied cocaine to the woman. Toxicology testing later confirmed cocaine was present in her system.
The Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office subsequently determined that the cocaine was the cause of death, prosecutors said. That finding led authorities to charge Seward on June 17 with strict liability drug-induced death, cocaine distribution and cocaine possession.
Seward surrendered that day at Brick Township Police Headquarters. He was taken to the Ocean County Jail, where prosecutors said he has remained since his arrest.
Ocean County Grand Jury Returns Indictment
The case was presented to an Ocean County grand jury by Senior Assistant Prosecutor Stephen Burke. The grand jury returned the indictment against Seward on Aug. 26.
Under the prosecution’s case, the strict liability drug-induced death charge is tied to the allegation that Seward distributed the cocaine that ultimately caused the woman’s death. The indictment moves the criminal case forward but is not a finding of guilt.
Billhimer credited the Major Crime Unit, Narcotics Strike Force, Brick Township police, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit and Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office for their work on the investigation.
Seward now faces prosecution in Ocean County Superior Court on the charges contained in the indictment. All charges are accusations, and Seward is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Sources: Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer; Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.
