The night of October 1st, Brad Kemp, a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity, drank 12 beers, and took a number of other drugs. The University of Arkansas student was found dead the next day at a private residence.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - University of Arkansas student Bradley Barrett Kemp's death was likely caused by an overdose of alcohol and a painkiller, said Sgt. Shannon Gabbard, Fayetteville Police Department public information officer.
Kemp, 20, was pronounced dead at 10:28 a.m. Saturday at Washington Regional Medical Center, Gabbard said. Police responded to an emergency call at 9:39 a.m. from Kemp's private residence at 527 N. Wilson St., according to University Relations. When officers arrived at the scene they found Kemp's girlfriend, Christina Reid, and Ferguson trying to resuscitate Kemp.
Willard Ferguson, one of Kemp's fraternity brothers, told police that Kemp drank about 12 beers along with one ounce of hydrocodone syrup with the beer, according to a police report.
"It appears to be an accident," Gabbard said. "It was not intentional. There are no signs of foul play." Kemp had had congestion and sinus troubles last week, according to the Associated Press.
Kemp took the anti-anxiety drug Xanax and possibly smoked marijuana during the night and had used another illicit drug and hydrocodone within the last 48 hours, another fraternity brother told police, according to The Associated Press.
Because Kemp was a Kappa Sigma member, officers were sent back to the house to investigate, according to The Associated Press. The funeral was scheduled for 2 p.m. Tuesday in Kemp's hometown of McGeehee, said Scott Walter, Greek Life director. He said many Kappa Sigma members drove to McGeehee Monday.
"I think the vast majority of them did [go to the funeral]," he said. He also said they chartered a bus to take people to the funeral. The incident happened off campus at a private residence in Fayetteville, he said.
Gabbard said the police department has not received the toxicology report, and it could be up to three months before they get it. Police are still investigating the death, Gabbard said. "I think they're looking into ... a timeline on when everything occurred," he said. Police are trying to get "additional information into what happened." Kemp was a Kappa Sigma fraternity member.
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The Fayetteville Police Department announced the findings of a toxicology report in reference to the recent death of a University of Arkansas student.
On the morning of Oct. 2, Bradley Barrett Kemp, 20, was taken to Washington Regional Medical Center after a friend called 911 to report that Kemp was ill after consuming alcohol and hydrocodone, a drug that had been prescribed to him as a cough suppressant, the previous night. Kemp was pronounced dead at the hospital.
A sample of Kemp's blood was sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for analysis. The Fayetteville Police Department said the results revealed no evidence of alcohol but did reveal a toxic amount of the drug dextromethorphan combined with other drugs, the report continued. Dextromethorphan is an ingredient in over-the-counter cough syrup; if too much is consumed, the result can be fatal. It appears Kemp's death was a result of selfmedicating himself with dextromethorphan, diazepam, nordiazepam, hydrocodone and alprazolam, the police report stated. "There was a toxic amount of dextromethorphan in his system, and that alone can be fatal," said Sergeant Shannon Gabbard. "When it is combined with other drugs, the risk of fatality becomes even higher."
This investigation is continuing.
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