An invitation to a party for teens in Rohnert Park left one 15-year-old girl nearly dead from alcohol poisoning and several others extremely intoxicated, police said Tuesday.
Officers this week were continuing to investigate the case and what led to the nearly fatal consequences of the party, said Sgt. Art Sweeney.
“Apparently, another teenage girl invited her friends to her D Section home while the parents were away. There were about ten teenage boys and girls present at this impromptu party,” Sweeney said.
Friday night’s party included vodka, so much so that the 15-year-old girl registered a .578 percent blood alcohol level, far higher than levels considered fatal by the medical community.
“This level of alcohol poisoning is usually only found after a person has died,” Sweeney said. “Initial expectations were that the girl would not survive the night.”
The girl was hospitalized through the weekend and is recovering at home, apparently without any long-lasting effects, Sweeney said.
He credited the firefighters and paramedics who performed rescue breathing for the unconscious girl as she was rushed to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.
Tuesday two detectives continued to conduct interviews and investigate the case.
“We haven’t found any kind of criminal behavior at this point. We have two detectives looking at it right now,” Sweeney said.
“We’re looking to find the source of the alcohol and that could lead to a whole litany of other issues,” he said.
There were no adults at the party and no adults who apparently knew about the under-age drinking, he said.
Officers were also expected to be talking to Rancho Cotate High School officials, where this student and others from the party attend school.
At about 10 p.m. Friday, two teens from the party found the girl unconscious on a picnic table in nearby Dorotea Park. It remains unknown how she got from the home to the park, Sweeney said.
The girl was unconscious and making “gurgling” noise when she tried to breathe. The two teens put her into a car and drove her to a local medical center. But it was closed for the night.
They then called 9-1-1.
“Firefighters found a 15-year-old female in the throes of alcohol poisoning,” Sweeney said. “She was unconscious and barely breathing.”
“The firefighters had to perform rescue breathing or the girl would die. When the ambulance arrived, the firefighters rode to Memorial Hospital and continued to breathe for the young girl,” Sweeney said in a press release issued Tuesday.
Friday night as the girl went to the hospital, police officers went to the D section home where the party continued. They found several teens who were highly intoxicated, but not having any medical difficulties, Sweeney said.
Officers called parents to come get their children.
Parens said they did not know their children were at the party drinking; they had been told a variety of incorrect stories about where their children would be that night, Sweeney said.
“Parents, do you know who you teen’s friends are and do you really know what they are doing?”
