We spent the past few months looking at fatal overdoses that led to homicide charges against victims’ friends, girlfriends and boyfriends, and even siblings, parents and children — even though the deaths were unintentional.

[Read the full story on overdose prosecutions.]

We found hundreds of overdose homicide cases in 36 states, and there are likely many more. About one in four of those charged in Pennsylvania, where we took a close look at the data, was under 25 years old.

Here are some things those defendants probably wish they had known:

My friend accidentally overdosed and died. Is that my fault?

Legally speaking, it can be. If you supplied the drugs or helped obtain them, you could be considered a drug dealer, held responsible for the death and go to prison.

Let’s say you bring illegal drugs to a party, as this 21-year-old in Minnesota did, and something terrible happens, like 10 people falling ill and one — his best friend — dying. He was convicted of third-degree murder and sentenced to nearly 10 years.