Teen drank himself to death at Christmas Day lunch with family

Shocking details of how a 16-year-old died after drinking himself into a stupor while surrounded by his family on Christmas Day have been revealed in coronial findings into his death.

A teenage boy died from acute alcohol intoxication after drinking at a Christmas Day lunch. Stock image.

A teenage boy died from acute alcohol intoxication after skolling vodka cruisers, double-strength Jim Beam and colas and other booze at a Christmas Day lunch with his family.

The shocking details of how the 16-year-old was allowed to drink himself into such a stupor that he was vomiting and could no longer walk while being surrounded by his parents and other family members were revealed in the coronial findings into his death released on Wednesday.

The boy, who has been given the pseudonym LG, had been drinking all day, and was observed “shotgunning”, “snorkelling” and “vortexing” – all drinking techniques that allow the drinker to become intoxicated quickly.

He had taken his own Esky, stacked with 10 vodka cruisers and a “handful” of UDL cans, to the party at his aunt’s place in Echuca, arriving with his parents around midday on Christmas Day 2022.

At the house, a bar full of spirits, was also readily available to guests, including LG, who reportedly was seen doing shots of liquor and also was nicking drinks from other people’s eskies.

The court heard the boy had bragged to his cousins about doing “tactical vomits” throughout the day to allow him to continue drinking.

The boy died from acute alcohol intoxication after skolling vodka cruisers, double-strength Jim Beam and colas and other booze at a Christmas Day lunch with his family. Picture: AAP

About a dozen people were at the gathering, including the youth’s parents, sister and maternal grandparents.

Victorian coroner Catherine Fitzgerald was critical of the adult supervision of the minor consuming alcohol, declaring the boy’s tragic death could have been avoided.

“LG clearly consumed a significant quantity of alcohol,” Ms Fitzgerald said.

“Allowing a minor to consume this amount of alcohol poses significant risks to their health and wellbeing and it should not have occurred.

“There was wholly inadequate supervision of LG’s consumption of alcohol and level of intoxication by both his parents and adult family members. “This effectively permitted LG to consume a dangerous amount of alcohol throughout the day and into the evening.

“It bears remembering that he was only sixteen years of age, and the sale and supply of alcohol to minors is illegal.”

His parents had gifted him a 10-pack of Vodka Cruisers he had taken to the party, but told him the drinks were for his use over the school summer holiday period.

She said no one made “any adequate attempt to intervene or prevent LG’s continued alcohol consumption”, even when it was apparent that he was intoxicated.

She was satisfied his death would have been prevented with appropriate medical treatment.

But said there was “never any real prospect that medical attention would be sought for him due to an absence of understanding that his alcohol consumption and intoxication was inappropriate, or that it posed any danger to him”.

She said the adults at the Christmas function were also intoxicated.

Ms Fitzgerald said she made her findings public in hope it serves as a timely reminder about the dangers posed to minors by alcohol consumption, and the legal responsibility imposed on adults who supply alcohol to minors.

The court heard LG’s parents had permitted him to have a drink on special occasions once he turned 16. On his 16th birthday, he had friends over and was allowed to have a maximum of four drinks under parental supervision.

His parents had gifted him the 10-pack of Vodka Cruisers he had taken to the party, but told him that the drinks were for his use over the school summer holiday period.

He ignored his mother’s request that he not take them all to Christmas lunch.

She later warned him to “pace himself” with his drinking, but told the court she did not want to cause a fuss or an argument on Christmas morning, and therefore did not push the issue further.

The boy was rushed by ambulance to the Royal Children’s Hospital on Boxing Day. Picture: David Crosling

At 11pm, one guest drove his drunk parents home.

But their son stayed behind with others, who reported “the boys started going for it”, doing shots of alcohol. Between midnight and 1am, LJ “just dropped” to his hands and knees in the backyard and vomited again. His concerned older sister noted he was unable to stand up and fell over each time he tried. But she said he was laughing and asking for more alcohol, and wanted to do another “shotgun”.

She tried to get him to drink water before he was helped to an outdoor couch, where he was left to “sleep it off”.

His family rolled him on to his side as they thought that he may vomit during the night.

They reported he fell asleep quickly and was snoring loudly. The next morning at 6.30am, he was observed still on his side snoring. No one disturbed him as they thought he was hungover and needed his sleep.

But about 8.30am, his uncle observed that he looked grey and had vomit or foam coming from his mouth. An ambulance was called and CPR was commenced. He was rushed to the Royal Children’s Hospital where he was confirmed brain dead on December 28.