Teen death at Whitman?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But, obviously, the boy did not get his bottle of vodka from 7-11. They may have gone to 7-11 to get snacks, if so there should be surveillance video of them in the store.

Not sure how that video will help. It'll prove he bought snacks?

[Anonymous]

The sad, frightening and infuriating reality is that this boy made the decision to drink and while there are places in this story where people could have done things differently, he's the one that made the lousy decision. It is a choice that millions of teens have and will make with little or no consequence, but for him was fatal. I'm sure there are adults on this board who have been too drunk recently. It usually doesn't end this way. Life is not fair. Not fair at all.

[Anonymous]

The issue is that he had alcohol (where did he get it) and chose to drink it. The question remains how/why he got separated from his friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The issue is that he had alcohol (where did he get it) and chose to drink it. The question remains how/why he got separated from his friends.

Well they were likely drinking too so you don't exactly have a group of good decision makers at work here. Everyone involved had the best of intentions (I suppose besides whoever provided the booze to the kids) and if anyone had any idea that it would end this way would have absolutely done things differently. If he really thought he was risking his life doing this he probably wouldn't have been drinking. We as parents put so much effort into "don't drink and drive" that maybe the kids overlook the other risks and like someone else said, most of the time it all ends well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The issue is that he had alcohol (where did he get it) and chose to drink it. The question remains how/why he got separated from his friends.

Well they were likely drinking too so you don't exactly have a group of good decision makers at work here. Everyone involved had the best of intentions (I suppose besides whoever provided the booze to the kids) and if anyone had any idea that it would end this way would have absolutely done things differently. If he really thought he was risking his life doing this he probably wouldn't have been drinking. We as parents put so much effort into "don't drink and drive" that maybe the kids overlook the other risks and like someone else said, most of the time it all ends well.

Agreed. I would hate for this to get turned around on the police or the parents at the house were the party took place. The responsibility, unfortunately, is with the kid who chose to drink. The consequences for this were tragic and heart wrenching. I hope that this is a lesson learned for everyone involved - kids, parents, police, the community at-large.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The issue is that he had alcohol (where did he get it) and chose to drink it. The question remains how/why he got separated from his friends.

They went into the woods. It was very dark. He must have fallen down and his friends didn't realize it at first. They looked for him and couldn't find him. When they called his name he didn't answer so they probably thought that he had left and gone home.

They were probably all pretty drunk.

[Anonymous]

None of the details are all that important IMO. It was a combination of events, most preventable, some not, that led to this very unfortunate tragic outcome.

In our house, the conversation we are having is along the lines of "what's the worst that could happen." Well, this is pretty much it. A series of bad decisions, none of them all that consequential in isolation, led to this young man's death.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The issue is that he had alcohol (where did he get it) and chose to drink it. The question remains how/why he got separated from his friends.

Well they were likely drinking too so you don't exactly have a group of good decision makers at work here. Everyone involved had the best of intentions (I suppose besides whoever provided the booze to the kids) and if anyone had any idea that it would end this way would have absolutely done things differently. If he really thought he was risking his life doing this he probably wouldn't have been drinking. We as parents put so much effort into "don't drink and drive" that maybe the kids overlook the other risks and like someone else said, most of the time it all ends well.

It's possible the kids swiped a bottle or two from their parents bar. Maybe no one purposefully supplied them with alcohol. Maybe no one is to blame.

Yes, the kid shouldn't have been drinking but, as others have pointed out, but for the grace of God...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The issue is that he had alcohol (where did he get it) and chose to drink it. The question remains how/why he got separated from his friends.

Well they were likely drinking too so you don't exactly have a group of good decision makers at work here. Everyone involved had the best of intentions (I suppose besides whoever provided the booze to the kids) and if anyone had any idea that it would end this way would have absolutely done things differently. If he really thought he was risking his life doing this he probably wouldn't have been drinking. We as parents put so much effort into "don't drink and drive" that maybe the kids overlook the other risks and like someone else said, most of the time it all ends well.

It's possible the kids swiped a bottle or two from their parents bar. Maybe no one purposefully supplied them with alcohol. Maybe no one is to blame.

Yes, the kid shouldn't have been drinking but, as others have pointed out, but for the grace of God...

The responsibility lies with the person who drank. I think this is a very important point to make. However unfortunate and tragic the outcome. The kids need to understand that the series of choices made led to this. Any sort of candy coating it or deflection of responsibility only perpetuates the problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The issue is that he had alcohol (where did he get it) and chose to drink it. The question remains how/why he got separated from his friends.

Well they were likely drinking too so you don't exactly have a group of good decision makers at work here. Everyone involved had the best of intentions (I suppose besides whoever provided the booze to the kids) and if anyone had any idea that it would end this way would have absolutely done things differently. If he really thought he was risking his life doing this he probably wouldn't have been drinking. We as parents put so much effort into "don't drink and drive" that maybe the kids overlook the other risks and like someone else said, most of the time it all ends well.

It's possible the kids swiped a bottle or two from their parents bar. Maybe no one purposefully supplied them with alcohol. Maybe no one is to blame.

Yes, the kid shouldn't have been drinking but, as others have pointed out, but for the grace of God...

The responsibility lies with the person who drank. I think this is a very important point to make. However unfortunate and tragic the outcome. The kids need to understand that the series of choices made led to this. Any sort of candy coating it or deflection of responsibility only perpetuates the problem.

I disagree and this is how a Penn State kid is dead. My child is not an island. You don't encourage your friends to drink or drink too much. If your friend is wasted you make sure they are safe, you make sure they get home, you don't leave them alone. You don't let people walk home alone at night. We are a community and we are responsible for each other.

Pretending you are not part of the problem when you go to an underage drinking party and encourage your friend to drink is a problem. You decided to do something illegal and you did it irresponsibly by drinking too much, by running from a party, by not getting everybody home safe. You are part of the problem if you don't look out for your friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The issue is that he had alcohol (where did he get it) and chose to drink it. The question remains how/why he got separated from his friends.

Well they were likely drinking too so you don't exactly have a group of good decision makers at work here. Everyone involved had the best of intentions (I suppose besides whoever provided the booze to the kids) and if anyone had any idea that it would end this way would have absolutely done things differently. If he really thought he was risking his life doing this he probably wouldn't have been drinking. We as parents put so much effort into "don't drink and drive" that maybe the kids overlook the other risks and like someone else said, most of the time it all ends well.

It's possible the kids swiped a bottle or two from their parents bar. Maybe no one purposefully supplied them with alcohol. Maybe no one is to blame.

Yes, the kid shouldn't have been drinking but, as others have pointed out, but for the grace of God...

Doubt it. Parents don't have flask size bottle of vodka in their house. The bottle fit in his jacket. There are laws about selling alcohol and the person that supplied the alcohol is liable for their part in this mess. So are the cops that did not do their job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The issue is that he had alcohol (where did he get it) and chose to drink it. The question remains how/why he got separated from his friends.

Well they were likely drinking too so you don't exactly have a group of good decision makers at work here. Everyone involved had the best of intentions (I suppose besides whoever provided the booze to the kids) and if anyone had any idea that it would end this way would have absolutely done things differently. If he really thought he was risking his life doing this he probably wouldn't have been drinking. We as parents put so much effort into "don't drink and drive" that maybe the kids overlook the other risks and like someone else said, most of the time it all ends well.

It's possible the kids swiped a bottle or two from their parents bar. Maybe no one purposefully supplied them with alcohol. Maybe no one is to blame.

Yes, the kid shouldn't have been drinking but, as others have pointed out, but for the grace of God...

The responsibility lies with the person who drank. I think this is a very important point to make. However unfortunate and tragic the outcome. The kids need to understand that the series of choices made led to this. Any sort of candy coating it or deflection of responsibility only perpetuates the problem.

I agree with you. If your kid is old enough and mature enough to be out like this, then they are old enough to accept the consequences for their actions.

That doesn't change the fact that distributing alcohol to underage people is a crime, in and of itself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The issue is that he had alcohol (where did he get it) and chose to drink it. The question remains how/why he got separated from his friends.

Well they were likely drinking too so you don't exactly have a group of good decision makers at work here. Everyone involved had the best of intentions (I suppose besides whoever provided the booze to the kids) and if anyone had any idea that it would end this way would have absolutely done things differently. If he really thought he was risking his life doing this he probably wouldn't have been drinking. We as parents put so much effort into "don't drink and drive" that maybe the kids overlook the other risks and like someone else said, most of the time it all ends well.

It's possible the kids swiped a bottle or two from their parents bar. Maybe no one purposefully supplied them with alcohol. Maybe no one is to blame.

Yes, the kid shouldn't have been drinking but, as others have pointed out, but for the grace of God...

The responsibility lies with the person who drank. I think this is a very important point to make. However unfortunate and tragic the outcome. The kids need to understand that the series of choices made led to this. Any sort of candy coating it or deflection of responsibility only perpetuates the problem.

I disagree and this is how a Penn State kid is dead. My child is not an island. You don't encourage your friends to drink or drink too much. If your friend is wasted you make sure they are safe, you make sure they get home, you don't leave them alone. You don't let people walk home alone at night. We are a community and we are responsible for each other.

Pretending you are not part of the problem when you go to an underage drinking party and encourage your friend to drink is a problem. You decided to do something illegal and you did it irresponsibly by drinking too much, by running from a party, by not getting everybody home safe. You are part of the problem if you don't look out for your friends.

His friends didn't force him to drink. He had vodka on his person when found. And he didn't run from the party. You don't know that his friends "left him alone"...he could have wondered off. We don't know. The point is it was their individual choices to obtain alcohol and drink it illegally and not take precautions to ensure their safety as a group. They are all a part of the problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The issue is that he had alcohol (where did he get it) and chose to drink it. The question remains how/why he got separated from his friends.

Well they were likely drinking too so you don't exactly have a group of good decision makers at work here. Everyone involved had the best of intentions (I suppose besides whoever provided the booze to the kids) and if anyone had any idea that it would end this way would have absolutely done things differently. If he really thought he was risking his life doing this he probably wouldn't have been drinking. We as parents put so much effort into "don't drink and drive" that maybe the kids overlook the other risks and like someone else said, most of the time it all ends well.

It's possible the kids swiped a bottle or two from their parents bar. Maybe no one purposefully supplied them with alcohol. Maybe no one is to blame.

Yes, the kid shouldn't have been drinking but, as others have pointed out, but for the grace of God...

Doubt it. Parents don't have flask size bottle of vodka in their house. The bottle fit in his jacket. There are laws about selling alcohol and the person that supplied the alcohol is liable for their part in this mess. So are the cops that did not do their job.

Huh? I have some small alcohol bottles that could fit in a jacket. One was gifted to me as a prank, the other was an ingredient that I needed for a mixed drink but I only needed a small amount so I bought a small bottle. If somebody walked off with one of those I might not ever miss them..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The issue is that he had alcohol (where did he get it) and chose to drink it. The question remains how/why he got separated from his friends.

Well they were likely drinking too so you don't exactly have a group of good decision makers at work here. Everyone involved had the best of intentions (I suppose besides whoever provided the booze to the kids) and if anyone had any idea that it would end this way would have absolutely done things differently. If he really thought he was risking his life doing this he probably wouldn't have been drinking. We as parents put so much effort into "don't drink and drive" that maybe the kids overlook the other risks and like someone else said, most of the time it all ends well.

It's possible the kids swiped a bottle or two from their parents bar. Maybe no one purposefully supplied them with alcohol. Maybe no one is to blame.

Yes, the kid shouldn't have been drinking but, as others have pointed out, but for the grace of God...

The responsibility lies with the person who drank. I think this is a very important point to make. However unfortunate and tragic the outcome. The kids need to understand that the series of choices made led to this. Any sort of candy coating it or deflection of responsibility only perpetuates the problem.

I disagree and this is how a Penn State kid is dead. My child is not an island. You don't encourage your friends to drink or drink too much. If your friend is wasted you make sure they are safe, you make sure they get home, you don't leave them alone. You don't let people walk home alone at night. We are a community and we are responsible for each other.

Pretending you are not part of the problem when you go to an underage drinking party and encourage your friend to drink is a problem. You decided to do something illegal and you did it irresponsibly by drinking too much, by running from a party, by not getting everybody home safe. You are part of the problem if you don't look out for your friends.

The boy had a bottle of vodka in his jacket. He was choosing to drink. His friends were choosing to drink. They were all drunk.

Drunk people do stupid and sometimes tragic things. Drinking so much that you can not get yourself home safely is extremely dangerous. If you are that drunk - call your parents and tell them that you need to go home.