Dillan Walterman, 16, alcohol poisoning

16 year old Dillan Walterman was camping with friends on March 25th when friends found him laying unconscious.

Autopsy results show he had a blood alcohol level of 0.32 at the time of his death.   No other factors were found to have contributed to his death.

My condolences to his friends and family.

An investigation is under way in Butler County, near Dumont. That's where investigators say the teen had been camping overnight, and never woke up.

They say the three students at Hampton-Dumont High School had been spending time at a private campsite on one of the teen's family property.

They say the three had fallen asleep outside near a fire pit. Two of the boys awoke during the night and got into to their car to sleep. But the third, 15-year-old Dillan Walterman of Hampton, slept through the night outside, in the below freezing temperatures.

Butler County Sheriff Tim Junker says, he never woke up. "It was exposure. If there is alcohol involved earlier and it led to exposure, that's a possibility and is something that's being looked at. We're not looking at foul play. It's strictly an accidental death."

An autopsy was performed today. Toxicology tests may be known in a couple of weeks.

Walterman was a tenth-grader at Hampton-Dumont High School. School Superintendent Lee Morrison says grief counselors will be at the school Monday.

Comments

[Linda Freedman (Therapy Doc)]

This story should be posted in every student newspaper in the country. It's such a waste of life and potential. My heart breaks for Dillan's family. I'm going to post on this, too, kids and other kids and alcohol, America's favorite drug.

[danielle unguran]

i can't believe his BAC was .32 holy crap that's a sad story i almost became that way it just helps to numb the pain you know well bye bye for now.

[E]

September 8, 2006, my 15 yr. old son nearly fell victim to a similar circumstance. He had been camping at a friends home with 5 other boys. They had been repeatedly checked upon, and were only left alone 45 min., when I had decided to call and check on him. One of the boys had told me that he had fallen asleep. I knew better, and threatened to come out to the house if they did not put my son the phone. His voice was barely audible, it was then I contacted the mother and had her check on him. She returned my call in hysterics--my son was unresponsive. I told her to immediately call 911, and ask the boys what he had taken. It wasn't until they were all placed in police cars and my son enroute to the hospital, that they confessed of only consuming alcohol. When the ambulance arrived at the hospital, we were waiting. I wasn't sure whether my son was dead or alive. I felt like I was in a dream. Only when they handed me his clothes that they had cut off, did I come to realize that this was all actually happening. A parents worst nightmare. His alcohol level was 212, and he was hypothermic. He was wet, covered with vomit, and left to sleep it off on a damp couch. Had I not called, my son would possibly not have survived the night. Our weeks since, have been somber. Constant reminders of that night are on our refridgerator, a poster that asks: "THINK DRINKING IS COOL? HOW COOL IS THIS?" along with all the hospital/ambulance paper work and bills. When my son returned to school, I had asked him to not let others treat this casually, he needed to express to them, the seriousness of what he had done, and what the outcome could have been. Since then, I have been thinking on how I could advocate on the serious dangers of underage drinking. I agree that young people are under the assumption that the only poor results from drinking, are throwing up, and sleeping it off with a hangover, which my son was almost left to do. I thank GOD everyday, that I decided to exercise my right as a parent to play CSI, and regardless on how much my children think I treat them like babies, I will continue to check on their safety. I just hope and pray that I am never too late.
My heart aches for those who have lost their children from such terrible circumstances. I hope there is something we can do to make others more aware.

[Josh Uribe]

He was my friend and his anniversary is goin to be difficult to go through this year...one year already...seems so long ago..

[Amy]

I would say whoever gave him the alcohol is to blame! Wouldn't you?! Someone should be charged! This is not fair. Why would two boys leave there "alleged" friend alone out in the cold... when they left because it was too cold?! They should feel pretty bad.

[Taylor Elise]

Dillan was my close friend. I stopped by to see them that night, and I was the last person to give him a hug.