Ariel Shuman was a 12-year-old middle school student who was a friend to Tiffany O'Connell and Brandi Beaudry. She ended up killing Rita Baxter by accident when she pushed her off a hill after Brandy kicked her out of her house and told her they couldn't be friends anymore. Brandi discovered what she had done and, knowing Ariel had access to drugs in her job blackmailed her into getting Morphine to feed her addiction.