Woman Pleads Guilty to Reckless Homicide in 2011 Drug Overdose Death

A Madison woman pleaded guilty Friday to second-degree reckless homicide in the drug overdose death of a Waukesha man in December 2011.

Natasha Hedstrom will be sentenced Sept. 23.

Shawn Ropel, 30, died Dec. 2, 2011 after being transported to the hospital two days earlier. Hedstrom, now 26, helped Ropel get heroin from a Milwaukee dealer both knew. According to a criminal complaint, they shot up the heroin together at a Walgreens parking lot, then Ropel shot up again at his house. Hedstrom discovered later Ropel had turned blue in the face, and called 911.