Woman charged in daughter’s overdose death

A woman has been charged with helping her daughter die of a drug overdose last fall.

Police arrested Carol J. Lambert, 54, on Friday.

Lambert, a Spokane County resident, and her adult daughter, Sarah Malinak, were found in a room at the Mirabeau Park Hotel in Spokane Valley on Oct. 19. Malinak, 23, was dead but Lambert, who had also taken a mixture of drugs, was alive. Toxicology tests showed that Malinak died after ingesting hydrocodone, morphine, diphenhydramine, fluoxetine, lorazepam, cyclobenzaprine and acetaminophen, according to court documents.

Tests showed that Lambert had taken similar drugs but the levels of the drugs in her system were lower, according to court records. Police found a suicide note that appeared to be signed by both Malinak and Lambert in the hotel room, according to court documents. They believe Lambert, who is a registered nurse, provided the drugs that Malinak took, court documents state.

Family members told police that Malinak and Lambert had been depressed following the suicide last summer of a close family member. Lambert’s husband said she spoke frequently of suicide, but Malinak had not, according to court documents.

Lambert has been charged with promoting a suicide attempt and controlled substance homicide.