Legacy.com photo Gina Carr

CONCORD – Born in Nashua, Gina Carr grew up in Merrimack and Litchfield, graduated from the University of New Hampshire then found her niche as a parent who loved teaching children to ski and, as a “gifted, respected” school paraprofessional, serving the needs of students with disabilities.

But Carr’s promising life was cut tragically short two years ago last week, when the 29-year-old Sutton resident died after overdosing on a quantity of fentanyl allegedly sold to her by 36-year-old Zanda Ball.

Now, Ball, of Sunapee, is under indictment on two felony charges, one of which – dispensing a controlled drug with death resulting – accuses her of dispensing fentanyl to Carr “and that Ms. Carr died as a result of her use of that fentanyl,” according to the indictment.

The other indictment is on an alternative count of dispensing a controlled drug, which accuses Ball of selling fentanyl.

An indictment is not an indication, or proof of, guilt, but represents the Grand Jury’s determination that enough evidence exists for prosecutors to move the case forward in Superior Court.

The charge of dispensing a controlled drug with death resulting is punishable by up to life in prison, with the possibility of parole.

The statute was added to New Hampshire law several years ago at the urging of prosecutors and law enforcement personnel, who had begun seeing an increase in overdose deaths they could directly connect to a particular sale.

The indictments were handed up Sept. 25 by the grand jury for the September term of Merrimack County Superior Court.

Ball is scheduled for arraignment on the charges at 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 23 in the Merrimack County court, according to the office of Attorney General Gordon MacDonald.

Sutton police and representatives of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted the investigation, while Senior Assistant Attorney General Danielle Sakowski and Attorney Shane Goudas are prosecuting the case.

Carr, meanwhile, was a teenager when, after growing up in Merrimack and Litchfield, she moved with her family to Sutton, according to her obituary.

Her family said Carr’s life “revolved around her two beautiful children,” Nolan Joseph, age 3, and Kinzleigh Lane, who was just one week old when Carr died.

Carr’s “impressive work ethic” and “passion about serving the needs of others” led to her work in the children’s learn-to-ski program at Mount Sunapee Resort, as well as at Spring Ledge Farm, her family said.

Most recently, Carr was a “gifted and respected” paraprofessional in the Kearsarge Regional School District, where she worked with students with disabilities.

But above all, her family said, Carr “was best recognized as being a wonderful mother.”

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.

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