Addicted and Convicted: Letters from a Lost Daughter - Paperback

by Sheila Ellin (Author), Elizabeth Elliot (Author)

Elizabeth Elliot was a brilliant young woman who was addicted to drugs and who was killed by the incompetence of a failed addiction treatment industry. Her mother, Sheila Ellin, has told Elizabeth's story in Elizabeth's own words through her letters, journals, and poems. In this book, Sheila also suggests how we can fix our broken addiction treatment system.

I'm a sub-human
who is roomin'
in a dope motel
on the outskirts of hell

Elizabeth was intelligent, empathetic, artistic, and fun to be around. She entered the criminal legal system at the age of 19 for drug possession and attempted shoplifting.

Elizabeth went to six 12-step rehabs and spent time in three county jails and state prison. She wrote letters to her mother, private journals, and haunting but beautiful poems. Elizabeth planned to write her memoirs, but she died before she had the chance. Her mother put together Elizabeth's story from Elizabeth's writings.