JOHNSTOWN, NY – Sheriffs say the death of a Fulton County woman may be
exposing a growing problem with bath salts.
The Fulton County Sheriff tells NEWS10 that he believes some recent deaths
may have been caused from bath salts.
A recent case is the suspicious death of 54-year-old Kathryn Alling. Kathryn
was found dead along a rural roadway in Mayfield on Monday. Her husband, Brent
Scott Alling, is in jail on unrelated charges. He is being held as a person of
interest in this case.
Sheriffs and Kathryn's family members say their relationship was marred by
alcohol, drugs, and violence.
The drug of most interest to sheriffs in this case is bath salts. Bath salts
offer a cheap but potent high. It can cause delirium, hallucinations, and
death.
Kathryn's brother Bill Jackson spoke with NEWS10 and said that Kathryn was
in constant fear of her husband. Jackson admits his sister had problems with pot
and alcohol, but he claims her husband would often force Kathryn to take harder
drugs.
Sheriffs are waiting for toxicology results in this case to make a full determination
on drugs.
The three main ingredients in bath salts were banned in New York, but the
sheriff says the makers keep changing the chemical components to skirt around
the law. There are proposed laws against bath salts at both the state and
federal levels.
A bill in New York State Assembly that was passed in May bans the sale and
distribution of synthetic marijuana.
The state version that passed the senate in late April criminalizes possession
of bath salts.
Senator Chuck Schumer also started the National Push to Ban Bath Salts. It
says federal bills have passed in the senate and the house. Schumer expects a
reconciled bill criminalizing sale and distribution to be signed into law by
August 1.
Brent Scott Alling
Kathryn Alling
NEWS10 ABC
