Rochester woman arrested in OD death of city man

Harrison Thorp 5:38 a.m.


Rochester woman arrested in OD death of city man

Nina Batista (Strafford County Jail photo)

ROCHESTER - A Rochester woman indicted earlier this year in heroin trafficking was arrested Friday in the fentanyl-overdose death of a man that occurred last month.
Nina Batista, 22, of Hancock was charged with one one count of dispensing a controlled drug with death resulting, a Class A felony.
As a result of an extended investigation into the case, Dover detectives served an arrest warrant on Batista at Strafford County Jail Friday afternoon.
Officials first learned of the man's death Sept. 15 as responders were called around 1:10 p.m. to Osborne Street in Rochester for a report of an overdose there. Upon arriving at the residence they located a 23-year-old male who was deceased from what appeared to be drug use.
An autopsy was later performed by state Medical Examiner's Office, and as a result of toxicology reports it was determined the individual died of acute fentanyl intoxication. His name was not released.
As a result of a continuing probe, police arrested Batista, who will remain in jail awaiting an arraignment on Monday.
Batista, along with two other Rochester residents, was indicted in March on drug trafficking. She was also a suspect in a string of 2015 thefts in the city.