Robert Patton, 14, Alcohol Poisoning

Robert Patton, of Terre Haute,  Indiana,  was in the care of his aunt, Roberta Pine, while his mother, Ramona Laymon, was at work.  During the evening, Patton and six buddies got their hands on some vodka, and drank it mixed with a flavoring agent. 

Patton vomited and lost conciousness.  The buddies thought he was sleeping.  When Laymon returned from work after midnight on the night of February 13-14, 2007, she  immediately summoned rescue workers, and Patton was tranported to the hospital.

On Februrary 17, 2007, Patton died of alcohol poisoning.

My deepest condolences to his family and friends.

TERRE HAUTE —  A 14-year-old Vigo County middle-school student was hospitalized late Thursday, two nights after drinking too much alcohol.

Robert Patton was in the intensive-care unit in Indianapolis’ Riley Hospital for Children, suffering from alcohol poisoning.

The eighth-grader at Chauncey Rose Middle School was unconscious when rescue workers arrived at his house at 12:55 a.m. Wednesday in the 2200 block of First Avenue, said Terre Haute police Detective Michele Barrett.

Patton was taken to Union Hospital and later transferred to Riley Hospital. Hospital officials declined to reveal his condition.

Patton had been drinking with six students from various Vigo County schools in his house while his aunt, Roberta Pine, 40, slept in another room, Barrett said.

The juveniles have been cited for minor consuming, police said.

“The kids were clearly drinking in the home,” said city police Capt. Kevin Mayes.

Pine declined comment late Thursday.

Police are investigating who supplied the vodka the juveniles had been drinking with Kool-Aid, and the vodka bottle hasn’t been recovered, Barrett said.

Patton lives with his mother, Ramona Laymon, who was at work during the time Patton became unconscious, Barrett said.

When Laymon arrived home, she found her son and called 911.

Barrett said the juveniles reported that Patton had been vomiting, and they thought he was asleep.

School Corp. Superintendent Dan Tanoos said, “First and foremost in a situation like this, we care about the students well-being. … Whenever we have a student in harm’s way, we want to make sure we can do everything we can to get that student healthy.”

Sources: 

http://www.tribstar.com/local/local_story_047234333.html
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070219/LOCAL/702190420

"There's no place  that's actually keeping data on alcohol deaths"--Thomas Kunstman MD

In all cases, my deepest condolences to family and friends.

Underage Alcohol Deaths 2004
Underage Alcohol Deaths 2005
Underage Alcohol Deaths 2006

Signs of Alcohol Poisoning

Alcohol depresses nerves that control involuntary actions such as breathing, the heartbeat and the gag reflex that prevents choking. A fatal dose of alcohol will eventually stop these functions. After the victim stops drinking, the heart keeps beating, and the alcohol in the stomach continues to enter the bloodstream and circulate through the system. The victim may experience the following:

• Mental confusion, stupor, coma, unable to rouse the person
• No response to pinching the skin
• Vomiting while sleeping or unresponsive
• Seizures
• Slowed breathing  (fewer than 8 breaths per minute)
• Irregular breathing (10 seconds or more between breaths)
• Hypothermia (low body temperature), bluish skin color, paleness

Alcohol Poisoning Requires Immediate Medical Attention

Alcohol Poisoning Cannot Be Reversed By:

• Drinking black coffee
• Taking a cold bath or shower
• Walking it off

The victim must have immediate medical attention.
Call 911, stay with the victim to prevent him choking on vomit, and tell emergency personnel how much alcohol the victim drank.

These Children Died of Alcohol Overdose, So Their Parents Started Foundations:

Taylor Webster's memorial foundation.  Taylor died of alcohol  poisoning at age 19-- Now his family and friends are working  to get the message out, telling their stories and providing  information on alcohol poisoning and the signs and symtoms  of alcohol poisoning in hopes that lives will be saved.

Bradley McCue's memorial foundation.  On November 5, 1998  Bradley turned 21. . He celebrated  his birthday in a way that has become increasingly popular, drinking "his  age in shots". That amount of alcohol was lethal and he died  that night of alcohol poisoning.

Samantha Spady's memorial foundation. A 19-year old student at Colorado State University, Spady died of alcohol poisoning on September 5, 2004, "an unintentional tragedy."  The Spadys say the SAM [Student Alcohol Management] Spady Foundation will develop peer-to-peer counseling and other services meant to reduce the risk of alcohol abuse.

Gordie Bailey's memorial foundation.   The mission of the Gordie Foundation is to provide today’s youth with the skills to navigate the dangers of alcohol, and through education and promotion of self worth prevent alcohol poisoning, binge drinking and hazing.

Comments

[Becky]

Bubby was my great nephew on the other side,bubby was a good kid who had never drank, peer pressure is taking ahold of these young kids. I would like to say that Bubby heart went to a boy in chicago and his lungs to some one indy.Thanks to organ donation..Please keep the family of Robert in your prayers Bubby was laid to rest today. Thank you Becki

[Liz]

http://www.tribstar.com/local/local_story_074232406.html

An affidavit states Patton’s aunt, Roberta Pine, bought the vodka, while the boy’s mother, Ramona Layman, gave him permission to drink it.

Layman, 43, had her bail reduced from $10,000 cash to $5,000 with 10 percent allowed during a bail-reduction hearing Thursday in Vigo County Superior Court Division 3. She is charged with neglect of a dependent, a class-D felony.

Layman does not have a criminal history, according to testimony heard in court Thursday.

Pine, whose criminal record includes convictions for criminal conversion, possession of marijuana, battery, possession of a controlled substance and carrying a handgun without a license, among other violations, is charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in death, a class-B felony.

Pine’s bail was reduced from $25,000 cash to $2,500.

The sisters were living together in the house in the 2200 block of First Avenue where the drinking occurred. Layman told authorities she had gone to work around 6:30 p.m. Feb. 13, leaving her children — Patton and his 17-year-old sister — with Pine.

According to court documents, Layman told the 17-year-old she could drink alcohol to celebrate her birthday, but only inside the house. Layman told police she told her daughter no one should leave the home. Layman also told police she did not know how her daughter was getting the alcohol.

The court documents also show that a number of juveniles were drinking with Patton and his sister before someone noticed the boy was unconscious and bleeding from the nose.

Pine told authorities that she had been in her room all night until someone came to tell her something was wrong with Robert.

During the hearing, Pine and Layman testified individually.

Both promised to comply with conditions of the court upon posting bail.

Prosecutor Terry Modesitt recommended to the court that Layman’s 17-year-old daughter not be left in the home with Layman or Pine.

Judge David Bolk ordered the women to comply “with whatever recommendations the Office of Family and Child Services has.”

The prosecution said the office had not made any recommendations yet.

http://www.tribstar.com/news/local_story_073231409.html?keyword=secondarystory

Court documents state: The juveniles gave Pine money to buy alcohol; she bought a half gallon bottle of vodka for them. Four juveniles drank the vodka for several hours at Patton’s home in the 2200 block of First Avenue the night of Feb. 13. The juveniles, from various Vigo County schools, reported that they thought Patton had gone to sleep until one juvenile noticed Patton’s nose was bleeding. Pine, 41, told police she had been in her bedroom all night and didn’t know the juveniles had been drinking. When the juveniles notified Pine, she went downstairs and found Patton unconscious on the living-room floor. Pine said she called Layman at work. Upon Layman’s arrival, Layman called 911, court documents stated.

Police were notified and arrived at 1:30 a.m. to find Patton unconscious. An officer at the scene said Layman told him she gave the juveniles permission to drink alcohol, but they had to stay inside the house, according to court documents.

Patton was taken to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, where he died. He was an eighth-grader in Chauncey Rose Middle School.

Vigo County Prosecutor Terry Modesitt said he charged the women because of a number of factors.

“If you look at the statute, the information that we have, [Pine] actually purchased the alcohol. She was the one present during the intoxication and the incident,” he said.

Modesitt said the juveniles are being investigated to determine if a crime was committed, but doesn’t expect any felony charges.

“I didn’t see anything there that would constitute a felony as far as the kids go,” he said.

Pine and Layman turned themselves in on Tuesday after charges were filed.

[Kaneesha Booker]

i love this dued. he was the best boyfriend ever, and he was a great kisser and he daced great to. i rember at the snowball i have pictures. man it is so hard not to look at them and not cry. i know still dont know where he is barred like his stone is, but i wnt to know. i know work with his sister and it is good i can still here his voice in the wind.robert bubby lamonn patton i love you and miss you

[Taylor Patto]

Robert Patton Is My Uncle I Wish I Was Thier

[Kaneesha Marice Booker]

hey boy i seen ur gravestone yesterday ommm well it has been a year and almost 2 moths seen that. i try to not think about it but it is so hard i MISS U :( :( :( :( :( i c u @ nihgt in my dreams i just want 2 let u know that u r always in my heart. it is like u never lefet me. i well be up ther befor u know it just keep watting for me I LOVE U !!!!!!!