Charges Filed In Overdose Death Of Lower Merion Woman

LOWER MERION TOWNSHIP, PA — A Delaware man has been arrested in connection with a fatal drug overdose in Lower Merion Township that occurred last year.

Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and Lower Merion Township Police Superintendent Michael J. McGrath Tuesday said Darryl Brown Jr., 32, of Wilmington, Delaware, was arrested Tuesday in connection with the death of 23-year-old Emma Allen.

Allen was found dead at about 12:50 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 31, 2020 at the Casa Del Sol Apartments on Lancaster Avenue in the Haverford section of Lower Merion Township.

Lower Merion Police were called to the complex for a report of a cardiac arrest.

In the apartment, police found a ceramic plate containing lines of a powder, a credit card, and a rolled-up $20 bill.

Authorities later searched the Allen's phone and conducted interviews.

Through those routes, police learned Allen made arrangements to buy a gram of cocaine and two ecstasy pills for $142 from Brown on the evening of Aug. 20, 2020, police said.

According to authorities, Brown texted Allen saying he would arrive at a parking lot next to her apartment building at 9:30 p.m.

A review of Allen’s CashApp account showed that she sent the $142 to the defendant’s account.

On Aug. 21, 2020, detectives arranged the same buy and arrested the defendant for possession with intent to deliver when he showed up at the meet location. At the time of his arrest, Brown was
in possession of a clear plastic bag of white powder, pills and marijuana, the DA's office said.

National Medical Services tested the contents on the plate and the residue on the rolled-up $20 bill and credit card found in the victim’s apartment and determined they contained fentanyl and heroin, authorities said. The lab also tested the powder found on the defendant at the time of his arrest and found it contained fentanyl and heroin while the pills seized during his arrest were found to be methamphetamine, according to the DA's office.

An autopsy performed on Allen's body Aug. 22, 2020 showed her cause of death was drug intoxication from fentanyl and methamphetamine.

Brown was arraigned Tuesday and held after failing to post $500,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 22.