A Dartmouth man charged with criminal negligence causing death was caught on surveillance video bouncing an exercise ball off a man believed to have overdosed on heroin, CBC News has learned.

Jesse Raymond Gaetz, 23, is accused of failing to provide medical help in the early morning of New Year's Day, according documents related to a police search warrant. Jesse Smith, 24, of Dartmouth died that day, despite attempts by paramedics and police to save his life.

Gaetz called 911 to report the heroin overdose of his friend, the documents say. The two friends and a woman had been drinking champagne and wine at Horizon Court in Dartmouth, where Gaetz lives.

He and Smith also had been smoking marijuana joints, the woman later told police. She went to bed while the pair went to the apartment building's gym, documents say.

A police officer reviewed security footage from the building's gym and sauna area. It showed Gaetz and Smith going into a sauna around 2 a.m. When they staggered out four minutes later, Smith suddenly dropped to the floor and does not move, the search warrant documents say.

'Bounces an exercise ball off Smith'

For the next 17 minutes, according to the documents, Gaetz "bounces an exercise ball off Smith and takes pictures [and] videos of him with his cell phone."

At 2:28 a.m. Gaetz "suddenly attempts CPR" on Smith.

The woman told police Gaetz, who was her boyfriend, woke her up by yelling to call 911 because Smith had overdosed in the apartment building's gym.

Gaetz and his girlfriend dragged Smith's body to the gym washroom, surveillance video shows. Police officers arrived at 2:40 a.m. as a result of Gaetz calling.

Later at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre a police officer learned Smith was "brain dead."

Heroin 'very rare' in Halifax, police say

Smith is suspected to have overdosed on heroin.

The drug is "very rare" around Halifax and was only seized twice by police in 2015, according to Staff Sgt. Darrell Gaudet, who is in charge of the Halifax Regional Police and RCMP integrated drug unit.

He said those seizures were in powder form and small quantities, and other drugs were the main target of the police searches.

"We know the issues it causes in other major cities, so we're aware of it, but it has not been an issue here in Halifax," Gaudet said Thursday.

"It's an extremely addictive drug; it's highly addictive. It causes a lot of reactions to the people taking the drug — from euphoria to hallucinating — which causes police concern to respond to someone [who's] on that kind of drug."

At Horizon Court, the warrant documents say police seized an iPhone, a grinder, three hydromorphone pills, "cut straw" and several syringes, including one in Smith's pocket.

Gaetz is due in court Feb. 8 for election or to enter a plea. He has been released from custody on conditions.