Autopsy report: Slain 15-year-old had cocaine in her system

New video shows friend walking investigators through night of shooting

ORLANDO, Fla. – A 15-year-old girl shot, killed and dumped along an Orange County roadway had cocaine in her system, according to an autopsy report obtained by News 6.

Orange County sheriff's investigators said the body of Melanie Medina was found in April dumped on Ziegler Road. They said she had been shot.

They eventually arrested Ramsys Cruz Abreu, 23, and charged him with manslaughter.

An investigation revealed Medina's 16-year-old friend was in the car with her and Cruz Abreu, and she told investigators she accidentally shot Medina when the gun she was holding slipped off her lap.

In new video obtained by News 6, the friend is seen walking investigators through a re-creation of the events that happened that night.

The video shows her demonstrating to them how the gun slipped out of her lap, and how she fired the gun when she grabbed it mid-fall.

She also told investigators she tried to comfort Medina from the back seat after she heard her scream.

"She was looking at me with her eyes open, and ... I told her to calm down, and we were going to go to the hospital," she said.  "But when I said hospital, (Cruz Abreu) looked at me, and he said we couldn't go to the hospital because he can go to jail."

According to Medina's autopsy report, she was shot in the upper left shoulder, and the bullet severed two arteries, exiting through her cheek.

Her blood toxicology report showed her blood reacted positive for the presence of cocaine.

Cruz Abreu is free on bail, and his next court date is scheduled for August.

The 16-year-old friend is not being charged, despite her admission to pulling the trigger of the gun.


About the Author:

Erik Sandoval joined the News 6 team as a reporter in May 2013 and became an Investigator in 2020. During his time at News 6, Erik has covered several major stories, including the 2016 Presidential campaign. He was also one of the first reporters live on the air at the Pulse Nightclub shooting.

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