Murder victim's mom sues killer's family - Accused blames Prozac

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Murder victim's mom sues killer's family 44 Accused blames Prozac for fatal attack By Dean Pritchard ,Winnipeg Sun First posted: Monday, August 29, 2011 06:28 PM CDT | Updated: Monday, August 29, 2011 09:44 PM CDT Seth Ottenbreit was killed in September 2009 by a friend who was taking Prozac. Ottenbreit's mother, Donna Noble and about 20 others gathered outside the downtown Winnipeg courthouse on Thursday, Aug. 4, 2011 to argue for tougher sentences for underage killers. ( Turenne, Winnipeg Sun files) The mother of murdered teen Seth Ottenbreit is suing his killer's parents, grandfather and brother, alleging their inaction led to Ottenbreit's death.

The now 18-year-old accused cannot be named. He has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and is set to be sentenced next month.

Ottenbreit, 15, was fatally stabbed in September 2009. The accused has blamed the killing on his use of the antidepressant Prozac.

In a lawsuit filed last week Ottenbreit's mother, Donna Noble, alleges the killer's parents should have known their son "was uncontrollable, dangerous, unpredictable and suicidal and could not be trusted."

Court has heard the accused fatally stabbed Ottenbreit after learning he had damaged the hardwood floor of his parent's West St. home.

The accused complained of depression and was prescribed Prozac three months prior to the killing. Some studies have linked the drug with behavioural and emotional changes in users under 18, including an increased risk of suicide.

Nine days after he began taking Prozac the teen overdosed on his grandfather's medication in an apparent suicide attempt.

The lawsuit alleges the grandfather dropped the accused off at home prior to the killing and was "grossly negligent" in not supervising him. The lawsuit describes the accused as "a walking time bomb."