The Free Press, Mankato, MN

Local News

July 3, 2008

No charges in alcohol-related death

MANKATO — A 16-year-old boy found dead at Land of Memories Park in May took numerous “pulls” off a vodka bottle before passing out, vomiting in his sleep and dying from alcohol poisoning, according to reports filed by Mankato Department of Public Safety investigators.

Detective Cmdr. Matt DuRose announced Thursday the department will not be pursuing criminal charges related to the death of Andrew Isaac Anderson, who had a blood-alcohol concentration of .38 when he died.

There were no signs of trauma on Anderson’s body and witnesses gave conflicting reports about how the alcohol was obtained, DuRose said. An autopsy report filed Monday determined Anderson died from acute ethanol toxicity caused by the “excess ingestion of alcohol.”

Two of Anderson’s brothers, 19-year-old Christopher and 18-year-old Benjamin, were with him on top of a large wooded hill in the park when the first officers arrived just before midnight May 30. Two friends were also there and officers were told the group had been drinking since 6 p.m. or 7 p.m.

After being taken to the Law Enforcement Center for an interview, Christopher Anderson told an investigator the alcohol — two 1.75 liter bottles of Phillips Vodka — had been purchased for them by a friend he had met at a party.

“Christopher was unwilling to provide his name but stated he was in his 20s,” the report said.

The teens were taking turns doing “pulls” from the vodka bottles and following them with gulps from cans of energy drinks, Christopher Anderson told police. He estimated he had taken 10 to 15 pulls and that Andrew had consumed double that amount.

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