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Victim identified in fatal Lake Zurich overdose

Lake County Coroner officials have identified the 18-year-old Lake Zurich man who died this week from a heroin overdose for which another man faces criminal charges.

Cristian Medina, 18, of Lake Zurich, had a high amount of opiates in his system when he died Tuesday at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in North Barrington, Lake County Coroner Artis Yancey said after Medina’s autopsy was completed.

Yancey said the investigation into Medina’s death remains open until the results of toxicology tests are returned in about six weeks.

Cody A. Searles, 19, of the 100 block of North Pleasant Road, was arrested Saturday and charged with two counts of drug-induced infliction of great bodily harm following Medina’s death, Lake Zurich police Cmdr. Kevin Finlon said earlier this week.

Searles gave Medina and an unidentified 17-year-old girl heroin Friday that put all three in the hospital, Finlon said.

The girl and Searles were released from the hospital Saturday, Finlon said, but Medina remained hospitalized until he died.

Searles was arrested after his release from the hospital, and remains in Lake County jail on a $200,000 bond, of which he must post 10 percent.

The death remains under investigation, authorities said, and more charges could be filed or upgraded.

Searles also faces two counts of delivery of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of cannabis, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and unlawful possession of controlled substance.

One dead, one charged in heroin overdose