A 22-year-old woman has been charged with helping her best friend to die - making her one of the youngest ever in Britain to be accused of assisted suicide.
The body of 21-year-old Emma Crossman was discovered by police at an address in Leicester Street, Sleaford, Lincs., on January 15.
Emergency services rushed to the rented flat in the small market town at 10.40am but Emma was pronounced dead at the scene.
Her pal Milly Caller, 22, was arrested and bailed pending an investigation and today Lincolnshire Police revealed she had now been charged with assisted suicide.
A force spokesperson said: “Following advice from the Crown Prosecution Service, Lincolnshire Police have charged 22 year old Milly Caller from Great Hale with assisting the suicide of another.
“The charge follows her arrest on January 15, 2014 in connection with the death of 21 year old Emma Louise Crossman.”
Caller, of Great Hale, Lincs., will appear before Lincoln Crown Court on October 16.
Her arrest came just days before Coronation Street favourite Hayley Cropper committed suicide with the help of her husband Roy.
At the time of Emma’s death detectives did not think her death was linked to the soap plot.
Following the tragedy neighbours and friends paid tribute to the popular youngster - who was said to have no obvious health issues.
Sue Price, 33, who lived on the same street as Emma, said she was a “happy and bubbly” girl.
She added: “She just seemed so lovely, happy and bubbly all the time.
“Emma lived there with her boyfriend I believe and we used to see her going out with her dad.
“We noticed there were two ambulances outside the house on Wednesday morning but thought it was just something minor.
“We never expected anything like this - it’s an absolute tragedy, she was so young.”
Adam Deakins, 22, who lived opposite Emma, added: “I knew her to say hello to in the street, It is a real shock.
“I saw all the police cars and a vehicle with blacked out windows arrive on Wednesday morning and I wondered what had happened.
“One of my friends had told me later that she had died. I couldn’t believe it.”
Writing on Emma’s Facebook profile page John Ridley said: “I will never forget you as I look up into the sky.”
Ob Ob Obrien added: “Heaven’s most beautiful angle sleep tight emma x x x”
Jacob Fletcher, from Grantham, Lincs., changed his status to: “R.I.P Emma Louise Crossman”
Emma’s stepdad Andrew Parr, 45 - married to “heartbroken” mum Sharon Parr, 46 - have previously been too upset to talk about Emma’s death.
Pro-life charity Care Not Killing said it was the youngest arrest for assisted suicide they had ever come across in the UK.
A spokesperson said: “In terms of somebody being arrested for assisted suicide within the borders of the United Kingdom this is the youngest we’ve heard of.
