$300,000 Bail Set for Woman Charged With Drug Induced Homicide

A judge on Tuesday set bail at $300,000 for a Summit woman who authorities say supplied a Wheaton woman with the heroin that killed her when she overdosed on the narcotic in June.

Jennifer Nere, 33, of the 7400 block of 64th Street, Summit, appeared Tuesday  morning before Judge Elizabeth Sexton who set bail at $300,000, according to a release from DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert B. Berlin and Wheaton Police Chief Mark Field.

Berlin and Field announced the charges against Nere on Tuesday in connection with the fatal overdose of 32-year-old Augustina Taylor of Wheaton.

According to the release, Nere went to Taylor’s late on June 27 through the early morning hours of June 28, 2012, and at Taylor’s request, delivered heroin to Taylor and then left. Authorities say that Taylor then took the heroin with her into a bathroom, where a short time later her son found his mother dead, the apparent victim of a heroin overdose.

A Wheaton Police Department investigation led to Nere, who had been in the Cook County Jail on unrelated charges since August 24, 2013, according to the release. She was released to DuPage County authorities Monday afternoon.

“We, as a society have got to get a handle on the alarming increase of heroin use,” Berlin said. “With 72 heroin deaths in the past 20 months in DuPage County alone, heroin has become a public health issue of epidemic proportions.

“My sincere condolences go out to Ms. Taylor’s family and friends as they grieve their loss,” Berlin continued. “I would like to thank the Wheaton Police Department for their thorough investigation into this unfortunate death. I would also like to thank Assistant State’s Attorney Audrey Anderson for her work on this case.”

“The officers, investigators and state’s attorneys have done an exceptional job with an extremely difficult case,” said Wheaton Police Cmdr. Jim Volpe. “These charges should send a strong message to anyone who is delivering heroin in DuPage County. With the state’s attorney’s support and guidance, we will look at every drug overdose death, especially heroin-related overdoses, with drug-induced homicide charges in mind.”