Investigators offer more details about student's death

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Investigators have begun to release information regarding the events surrounding the Dec. 15 death of 17-year-old Dietrich Jackson.

Putnam County Coroner Thomas Miller told the BannerGraphic that though his investigation is ongoing, his office could confirm that Jackson died from pharmacological intoxication and a toxicology report indicated that Jackson had THC, Xanax, alcohol and Oxymorphone in his system when he died. Xanax, an anti-anxiety drug, does have some therapeutic levels. However, the drug Oxymorphone is six to eight times more powerful than morphine, is likely the cause of Jackson's death, according to Miller

After making three arrests Wednesday, the Putnam County Prosecutor's Office released a probable cause affidavit containing the statements of several juveniles and adults who had contact with the Greencastle High School senior on the night he died. Names of the teenagers were removed from the document to protect their identities, but accounts of events vary dramatically.

It has been previously reported that Jackson was found dead the morning after attending a party, but until now, little has been officially released about where he went, who he was with and what happened in the hours leading up to the teenagers death.

Though individuals initially reported that Jackson had consumed some alcohol at a party thrown by 50-year-old Eric Mahrenholz, who has been charged in connection with the case, others have also reported that Jackson was transported to the home of 23-year-old Scottie Hoover, where he acquired several prescription drugs including Oxymorphone and Xanax. As interviews progressed, one individual described Hoover removing a time released-coating from one of the pills and crushing it with a spoon in order for Jackson to snort it.

Hoover has been charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor causing death, a class C felony, dealing in a controlled substance to a child, a class A felony, and a class B felony of dealing in a controlled substance to a child.

The juveniles' reports of what happened after Jackson consumed the pills also vary and contradict statements made to state police detectives early in their investigation. At least one juvenile admitted to lying to investigators to avoid self-incrimination.

One juvenile, who told police he transported Jackson to Hoover's home at approximately 11 p.m., stated that Jackson lost consciousness within five to 10 minutes after snorting the pill at Hoover's, and was in and out of consciousness over the next couple of hours.

Another juvenile told investigators that he only became involved when he was called to help carry Jackson into his grandmother's house at approximately 1:30 a.m., where the teen was found dead late the next morning.

According to the affidavit, that same individual reported that Jackson was asleep and snoring in the back seat of a car and someone told him that Jackson had passed out after taking some pills. After carrying Jackson into the house and placing him on a couch, the juvenile told investigators that Jackson sounded as if he was going to "swallow his tongue," so he placed Jackson on his side and he began breathing normally again.

Another juvenile told investigators that someone at the scene actually opened Jackson's mouth and pulled his tongue from the back of his throat so he could breathe.

Nowhere in the affidavit did anyone report seeking medical attention or calling 911.

Ryan Romandine, an adult interviewed by investigators and named in the report, painted different picture of Jackson's condition that night. He told investigators that he was at Hoover's home and consumed several pills and smoked marijuana. After passing out for several hours, he awoke at 1 a.m. and Jackson was also there.

According to Romandine, he caught a ride with a juvenile who was preparing to transport Jackson home. When the two attempted to leave Hoover's house, they were unable to wake Jackson.

At that point in the evening, Romandine told investigators, he took the time to confirm that Jackson was breathing and had a pulse before carrying him outside and placing him in the back seat of the juvenile's car.

The three then drove into Greencastle, and instead of taking Jackson home or to seek medical attention, Romandine stopped at a gas station to buy cigarettes. During that stop, Romandine reported that Jackson vomited in the car. The group left the gas station, and according to Romandine, the driver delivered the cigarettes to another location before dropping Romandine off at his girlfriend's home.

According to all of the juvenile's statements, Jackson's death was discovered the next morning at around 9 a.m. At least one statement suggests that several phone calls were made to other Greencastle High School students who met in the school's parking lot to discuss the situation before returning to Jackson's home to further investigate his condition.

At approximately 10 a.m., Jackson's grandmother, Charity Pankratz, entered the room, where she told investigators, she found four of five teenage boys standing around Jackson. She dialed 911.

At least one juvenile has since admitted to police that he attempted to conceal evidence of Jackson's drug use by taking several pills from Jackson's pocket before police arrived. He told investigators that he held onto the pills until being taken to the Putnam County Sheriff's Department for questioning later that morning. He admitted to excusing himself to use the restroom where he flushed the pills down the toilet.

Three arrests were made Wednesday in connection with the death of 17-year-old Dietrich Jackson.

According to a statement released by Putnam County Prosecutor Tim Bookwalter, his office anticipates that charges will be filed against juveniles involved in Jackson's death.

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  • You know i have lived in this town for 23 years and it seems to never end kids doing drugs parents abandoning thier children so on so on but to comment on the recent tragic situation it was and is a tragic happing. and having been in school with scott hoover he was 2 grades below me its a shame to see that it neverends it was bad when i was in school and it just keeps getting worse. and unfortunatley my children have came into the school life now itys very hard trying to be a teenager in this town theres nothing to do but get in trouble so what happend was the fault of many at the party and the fault of this community too we all know that if ther was ANYTHING IN THIS TOWN OR EVEN CLOSE IN THIS TOWN FOR TEENS TO DO MAYBE THEY WOULDNT HIT THE parking lots or go to parties with the older generation but everything that has been here for the teens has been either pushed out by high society or sahut down because of the kids that alredy have no respect for tghemselves cause thats how it happens in small towns this teenage boy had alot going for him from what i read and we all make bad choices and pay the consequences so no he wasnt a drug head junkie he just had to much talent for a town that has no life IT NEVERENDS

    -- Posted by Angel6019 on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 3:14 AM
  • So J_P_f yes he made some bad choices that night so for you was that reason enough to not get him help when it was so obvious that it was needed and more than a slight chance that help could have saved his precious life thats what Im sure his family has a problem with

    -- Posted by pageme369 on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 4:36 AM
  • In regards to no one getting him any help IT WAS TOTALLY WRONG AND DISCUSTING!!!! Some could say they were scared of the legal outcome of taking him to the hospital afraid of them getting into trouble but thats no excuse it sickens me toi know that our next generation would stand by and let their freind die i hope me or my chuildren never incounter you and need help everybody that was within 5 foot of that that great kid should have something close to them taken away cause no matter the amount of any thing u guys had to drink or smoke u knew there was something wrong and you did nothing everyone of the kids that were ther or got pickes up along the way of this horrible joy ride should be arrested and there names annouced nothing can bring him back but he lives on in many and hopefully the guilt of the so called friends will tear them up inside enough so they feel what the family feel each and every day for the rest of your lives so each day a little bit should die inside of you for the amopunt of shame well i dont know none of u probably have any shame So lets keep this in mind trust noone abnd be careful cause your best friend is probably your worst enenmy

    -- Posted by Angel6019 on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 5:43 AM
  • What do you want to bet that each and every person who was arrested will be let out on bond by today. To the 50 year old, let him out on the town square. For these people to do that to that poor young man is disgusting. I'll bet that each one is let out today on a small bond. There is no justice in this town. I hope that the family of the young man who was left to pass on sits on the prosecutors office and gets justice. To Mr. Marenholz, he should not be let out. I can ALMOST understand kids not understanding some things, (although they should have in this situation) I can't understand the adults acting in this manner. Round up all of these people in the county, put them in the jail, and let them stay there. For the family of Mr. Jackson, my heart goes out to you, stay on top of this and then file a civil lawsuit against these poor excuses for human beings.

    -- Posted by cty-govt-a-muck on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 7:06 AM
  • Well now it's happened. When are you people going to wake up. I had two children graduate from this high school and knew things that would shock the hardest person. Like the group of boys that were so messed up on Zanies (yes, that's what they call them) that one of them was slumped over on his desk and drooling all over himself. Now the kids in school all knew who they were and what had been taken, but the adults there didn't see anything? Come on. Open your flipping eyes. This is happening right under your noses and no one is seeing it. You people need to get to know who your children are and who they are hanging around with. It doesn't matter what side of the tracks they live on either. You'll find it's just the opposite. You kids who didn't get him help will have this follow you for the rest of your lives. Why didn't you drop him off at the emergency room and leave? People, your kids aren't drinking beer they are messing around with dangerous drugs. You had better start paying attention and listening to them or there will be more sad stories like this one.

    -- Posted by mom101 on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 7:16 AM
  • To Mom101 -- I am so with you in your thoughts! I am absolutely disgusted with the adults in our community who perpetuate this behavior, who make the drugs and alcohol available to our kids, who actually DO the drugs and alcohol with the kids. WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?!!!! You aren't cool -- you're DANGEROUS. I can't tell you what this has done to my family -- you want to be cool with the kids?!!! GROW UP! You are killing families, destroying the hearts of mothers and fathers and wreaking havoc in the lives of bright young kids. It sickens me to no end. Why do our officials seems powerless to stop this? Because the kids won't talk!!!!

    -- Posted by TinaS on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 7:56 AM
  • I knew from day 1 (Dec.15,2007) that there was foul play involved but to read this makes it so much worse. Everyone at Scottie's house was probably taking pills and they all knew what was happening to him. They had HOURS not minutes to save his life and they did NOTHING!! YOU took him home and didn't even wake his grandma or call for help. Those "so called" friends should have done something, ANYthINg! I don't believe that dietrich knew what kind of pill that man gave him was either. Those teenagers are almost of legal age and they need to be tried as adults not juveniles. Someone died here this isn't some petty crime. You and your parents sat up in that house with him in the other room, gone like it was nothing eating pizza and **** being treated by some like you were the victims. Knowing all along that YOU LET my cousin die. With no remorse you then lied to the detectives and police officers about EVERYthING!!! HOW???? What kind of children are being raised out of Greencastle? And yes he did have to much talent for Greencastle he was to good for that town.

    -- Posted by sunshinenap on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 8:08 AM
  • bondsman, please don't speak out of turn. dietrich was not in putnam county because of problems elsewhere with "gangs" and "drugs." nor was he a "thug." yes, he made a choice, a very stupid and deadly one. beyond that, please don't speak of him unless you know the details (which, clearly, you do not.)

    -- Posted by inmemoryof on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 8:19 AM
  • This is SO sad!! I have several comments. First, those kids that were involved, you should have done something! If you were afraid of getting caught, maybe that should tell you that you're doing something WRONG! Stay away from that crap! Use your head. You can't be responsible in these kinds of situations if you're involved in that crap yourself. Now you will have this in your mind for the rest of your life..... YOU didn't stop it or help it.

    For those other parents, pay attention to your kids, where they are and who they're with! I've already raised my kids and I know that there are LOTS of drugs and alcohol running rampant with these kids. The drugs in that high school alone would surprise many! So you don't want to be the strict parent? They will LIVE and will appreciate you for it as they grow older! And yes, your kid just might be involved with this crap after all. Keep your eyes open.

    As far as our sports program. Well, I understand that we have SEVERAL kids in several sports that are also involved in drugs. People turn heads. That's wrong. Our school systems are all about 'who you are' and those kids get away with SO much more!! Didn't believe it til I had kids in school and actually watched it happen! It really does happen and is happening each and every day. "Little Johnny is so and so's kid so we'll just slap his hand this time but that other one over there, he'll be suspended. We just won't tolerate that in our school!" Think about it people. Are you really helping these kids by ignoring the problems they get into? Do you want YOUR kid to be next?

    -- Posted by bannerstuff on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 8:26 AM
  • Regardless if this boy was a great kid or could be a thug, he was someone's child, grandchild. Bad choices? Yes. But at the same time where were his "friends?" Standing by doing nothing. How sad that it came down to saving their own hides before they thought of their friend who was obviously in dire need of medical attention. What the hell is going on in Greencastle?

    -- Posted by ksarmywife on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 8:54 AM
  • I would just like to say how sorry I feel for Deitrich's family. It makes it so much worse to realize that no one took action to try to help him, that "saving" themselves from getting in trouble was more important than a friend's life. I would like to call for some major drug testing in school. I am aware of the drug use of some our GHS athletes currently, and in the past. I would call for all athletes to be drug tested regularly. I am told that locker inspections are not effective because the students carry the drugs with them to class. I am also told that on any given day drugs are being sold in the hallways at GHS. I am not trying to blame the schools. I am just stating fact about what I have heard, and believe to be true. There is always going to be drug use in our school, but when it becomes so prevalent, that you are considered to be more of a freak if you don't use, then obviously things have gone badly wrong. Maybe a crack down on drugs in school would be a place to start. I would call on the police/prosecutors to try all of the juveniles in this case as adults. No one involved should escape culpability in this case.

    -- Posted by ursula on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 9:18 AM
  • We can go on all day about how the kids "should have said something." Of course they wouldnt say anything. Why would they? They were dumb enough to be involved in the first place. We can't expect them to turn around and give themselves up and actually tell the truth (sarcasm here). The parents, school system, etc need to wake up. This stuff isnt happening because its a small town and theres nothing to do. Big cities still have drug issues. The problem is that no one is stopping it. These kids are able to do this while everyone stands by and turns their cheek. Let's kick the drug/alcohol problem Greencastle! What are we waiting for?

    -- Posted by indtonyc on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 11:10 AM
  • we will be in the forefront of news for a while. as a community, what's next? how can we take the wonderful words of Charity Pankratz written in the Banner Graphic following the death and make for a better community our children? Let this be the discussion. we cannot change the past. we can change the future . . .

    Folks, for better or worse, IT STARTS AT HOME WITH THE PARENT(S). what is your teenager doing and where and with whom? if you didn't already know, there are drugs and alcohol readily available in and out of school. boys seem more vulnerable than girls. can anything they do past 11:30pm or midnight really be good for these kids on a Friday or Saturday night? and parents hosting groups of kids, perhaps you need to assume the worst, that booze, drugs, etc. could be smuggled into your home. not a fun job, but your job nonetheless. have you inspected their cars? their rooms? you can't claim ignorance any longer. someone died. it could have been your child or mine making a one time mistake. as parents, present and former students will attest, there is a sad drug/alcohol culture at GHS. (and at most other high school, but that really doesn't matter does it?)

    TO THE SCHOOLS, your drug testing doesn't work for the athletes. please fix this. can teachers be taught to tell if a student is "high"? if so, what should they do? what can you do to help stop the "everyone is doing it" rationale?

    TO LAW ENFORCEMENT: why does everyone seem to know who is dealing except you? what more can you do to help the schools and parents?

    LET THE POSITIVE COMMENTS FLOW! we need/CAN do better. today.

    -- Posted by hope4all on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 11:25 AM
  • I had a comment that was erased. I want it to be known that Dietrich was NEVER in any trouble in Georgia he only came back so he could be closer to all his family. He always did well in school and always had a lot of friends and people that really cared about him. drugs and gangs please, clearly the person that wrote those things didn't know him at all. I just really don't appreciate that all the sudden the truth about that night comes out and Dietrich's name is dragged in the mud. Sorry but nobody is going to do him like that. Haven't people(not trying to include everybody of course) in your community done enough to him and our family.

    -- Posted by sunshinenap on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 11:29 AM
  • My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of this young man.

    It's a shame that so many young lives were changed forever by poor judgment on the parts of everyone involved that night.

    Friends, true friends don't leave a person in that condition, under any circumstances!

    The young men who accompanied Mr. Jackson that evening were cowards. Not Friends.

    -- Posted by ttrigg on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 11:51 AM
  • As a Greencastle High School student I know what goes on each Friday and Saturday night, and I know the parents and administration are not stupid either. As a class we've come to understand that the past is the past, we will never bring Dietrich Jackson back. As a student it makes it so much worse to read posts online bashing the things Dietrich did, or overlooking that fact that your child is most likely doing the same thing each Friday and Saturday. Dietrich was a great friend of mine and most kids at the High School. Dietrich never did anything bad to anyone, he was an amazing student and he had an amazing life in front of him. I am open to the fact that yes there are students amidst myself that could have and should have done something that night and I feel as though they should be punished, and I feel that they are now "getting what was coming to them."

    Lets not blame this on the fact that there is nothing to do in this town , lets not make the assumption that his parents were bad parents, because that is totally untrue, and lets not make up stories saying that Dietrich was involved in gangs and regularly did hard drugs. Dietrich was just an eye opener to this community, I'm not religious though I feel that DIetrich had a purpose in life and I feel he has touched many people through his death.

    So in conclusion lets not take the bad out if Dietrich's death, lets learn from it and mold from it. To Dietrich's family whom I've already spoken to, your in my heart, and to those who love and miss Dietrich as much as I, your also in my heart. Lets bring some closure to not only the family but the Senior Class of 2008.

    Dietrich will always be in my thoughts and many others.

    -- Posted by natelien on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 12:12 PM
  • I am begging any kid from Greencastle to read these responces. So that they can see how the horrible outcome of this to Dietrich, to the themselves, the Greencastle highschool and our town. the tv stations showed that our town is in dire straits of help. These dang kids are facinated with Pot, dank what ever they want to call it. They think they are all one big happpy commune of the 60's. It's not cool, I'ts not fun and I don't care what they say it fries your brain. As for the drug dealers. I hope the cops bust them all. Kids of Greencastle which I am a parent PLEASE!!!! don'y do drugs, don't smoke pot, Don't smoke anything or snort or huff or get drunk. I was up till 5 am the other night reading myspace and facebbok pages and looking at kids pics. Most of the girls show pics of themselves drunk and look like sluts. Parents these kids need a lesson on strict parenting. Ground them, choose who they hang out with and I am all for drug testing at home and at school. Rest in peace Dietrich, I wish you could have lived a great life, I wish your friends chose you over themselves that night.

    -- Posted by savethekids on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 12:12 PM
  • Good post Hope4all. This needs to be addressed on every level, at home, at school, by the police, everyone. My only comment would be that unfortunately these days knowing who your kids are out with doesn't always help. It used to be that the "druggie" crowd was easily identified, and that there were a large core group of "good kids" who stayed away from alcohol and drugs and made good choices. Today there are only a hand full of kids who don't use drugs. The stereotypical "good kids", the athletes, the kids with good grades, they are the ones using drugs today! There is no "safe crowd" to be sure of. There was a freshman just a couple of weeks ago that told my son that marijuana was safer to smoke than cigarettes. This was from a kid who I consider to be "intelligent", but he actually believes this!

    -- Posted by ursula on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 12:15 PM
  • Not only are drugs and alcohol being done in GHS, it's in every school. But normally and I do say normally, it's the kids who have never had any punishment from their parents. Oh that's my boy, you're not going to tell me he's doing anything wrong. How many times have we heard that from a parent. Parent's, don't think you are high and mighty or too good to have a child do this sort of thing. I still hope that Dietrich's family files a civil lawsuit. Yes, people make choices and sometimes they are the wrong ones, but I still say, he did not deserve to be treated this way in his time of need. And I don't want to hear how hard it is on the parents of some of these teens as well as the old sob who more than likely started all of this. What sort of 50 year old male (creep, sob, freak, perv) has young teens and young adults (18-19) to his house for parties or to hang out? Can anyone tell me if they have already been let out on bond? Or are some of them still out there and hiding?

    -- Posted by cty-govt-a-muck on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 12:22 PM
  • What more has to happen before people wake up. Parents who "party" with their kids, let them drink at home because they at least know where they are, wake up. I know parents who let their teenage girls sleep with their boyfriends at their own homes because if they don't, she will do it anyway. Who is the parent and who is the child. Parents protect their kids, not try to be "cool". And the sad partis, the parents who do know what is happening look the other way because it's easier that dealing with reality, or because their life is more important than their kids life is. And parents, why would a 50 year old man want to party with kids? It doesn't take a lot of brains to figure it out. Kids need to be home instead of in parking lots and partys.

    -- Posted by Sharon@hotmail.com on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 12:37 PM
  • What a sad situation for all envolved. I feel for the child who will never get to grow up, I feel for the families of the young adults who made choices that night that will haunt them the rest of their lives. The one I can not be sorry for is the adult involved. There is no excuse for this. The school system is now in a bad place and I hope this opens some eyes. You can only sweep things under the rug for so long. The adminstration at the school has known for some time what the problems are and who the problems come from and have turned blinders on to the problems. I am sure the school is somewhat handcuffed by some law I don't know. I hear stories of children being throw into GRASP for chewing tobacco or smoking and yet this happens and the school says "It's a court issue". Give me a break...you either are part of the problem or part of the solution.

    -- Posted by TiredofThisTown on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 12:45 PM
  • No matter what events took place on the night of this young boys death, Dietrich or none of the other juveniles would have been involved if their parents/guardians including Dietrich's would have known the wherabouts of their children. Sure, we want to trust our children and believe they are where they say they are but we must remember they are children! What ever happened to parents communicating with other parents to make sure their child is where they say they are going? Make a house call instead of a cell phone call, speak to a parent! I would hope if any parents have information from their child/children that would help resolve this investigation that they would come forward. There is no perfect child! It's time for parents to be parents! Parents are ultimately responsible for their child until the age of eighteen! I am curious as to why none of these parents are having no actions taking against them for curfew laws. These children were obviously out past curfew! No one kid should take the blame for anyone's actions but their own! Don't let one person take the fall!

    -- Posted by be a better parent on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 12:54 PM
  • bondsman, "reporting what you have been told" is also called "spreading rumors." please stop. you clearly don't know the family, and you don't know the truth. and by the way, no one here or anywhere else has said that dietrich was a saint. he wasn't. he was a teenager who did something very, very dumb. he was also smart, respectful, affectionate, silly, and he loved his family and his friends. this is harder on his family that you will ever know, so please, please, don't speak out of turn. focus on what good can come out of this situation, such as taking drug dealers off the streets and making an impression on other young people who are tempted to make bad decisions. if just one kid can learn to say "no" because of this, if one of those drug dealers is stopped from making these drugs available to teenagers, his death will not have been in vain. we love you dietrich, and we will never forget all the joy you brought to our lives.

    -- Posted by inmemoryof on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 1:37 PM
  • I think there is probably only 1 out every 50-100 teens that understand what personal accountability is. Most adults don't understand it! Certainly Deitrich was ultimatley the one responsible for his actions. However, he did realize he was in trouble that night and ask friends for help. No help was forthcoming. Also, realize that at 17 you are only a part time adult. Most of the time your actions, thinking and reasoning are still that of a child at that age. Hence the need for parents, school, police, and positive thinking friends to help them be accountable. What can be learned from what happened? What safeguards or deterents can be put into place to safe guard our young people until they get mature enough (grow old enough) to be personally accountable for their actions?

    -- Posted by ursula on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 1:50 PM
  • All of the guys involved are very torn up about the death. Some lied and some didn't. Some of them have been cleared in the case. The fact is Jackson was alive when they left him. Nobody forced him to take anything.

    -- Posted by tigerlily on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 2:13 PM
  • I think that all students should be drug tested in order to be registered into school and periodically thoughout the year.

    I believe that parents should lock their prescription drugs and alcohol just like they should their guns. I believe that parents and other adults who buy alcohol and sell drugs to kids 21 and under (let's face it, an 18 year old is still a kid) need to be locked up, especially the adults who saw this kid was physically in trouble and watched him slowly die and did nothing about it. Lock them up and throw away the key!!!!

    -- Posted by nikkilpn on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 2:17 PM
  • tigerlily,

    How do you know he was still alive when everyone left him?

    -- Posted by cty-govt-a-muck on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 2:49 PM
  • Vomiting and choking on his own tongue should have given the "torn up kids" a clue that he needed medical assistance.

    -- Posted by ursula on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 3:03 PM
  • In regard to bondsman, u really just need to keep your comments to yourself. Because u didnt know Dietrich,you dont understand the situation. Everybody understands that it was his choices he made, but for everybody that was with him to be that stupid is unexcusable.These people sat and lied in our faces about everything that happened because they knew they were wrong and they all need locked up for that.Because they had hours to help him and they did nothing. How hard is to call 911, they could of called and just left b4 the ambulance got there if they diddnt want to get in trouble, they could of droped him off at the hospital and pulled off. But instead they sat and watched him die!!! Aint no way you can sit up here and tell me from the high school students to the adults that they werent smart enough to know to call 911 or at least wake up his grandmother. Everyone that was with him from scotty's house up til his dealth is a murderer in my eyes!!! a 7 yr old knows 2 call 911 if someones hurt, how come they didnt?

    -- Posted by BIgBrah on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 3:05 PM
  • We can go on all day about how the kids "should have said something." Of course they wouldnt say anything. Why would they? They were dumb enough to be involved in the first place. We can't expect them to turn around and give themselves up and actually tell the truth (sarcasm here). The parents, school system, etc need to wake up. This stuff isnt happening because its a small town and theres nothing to do. Big cities still have drug issues. The problem is that no one is stopping it. These kids are able to do this while everyone stands by and turns their cheek. Let's kick the drug/alcohol problem Greencastle! What are we waiting for?

    -- Posted by indtonyc on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 3:10 PM
  • MAY WE MOVE ON TO "WHAT'S NEXT?" WITH POSITIVE IDEAS . . . HOW CAN WE HELP SCHOOL OFFICIALS? THE PARENTS? LAW ENFORCEMENT? THE ADOLESCENTS?

    -- Posted by hope4all on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 3:14 PM
  • come on people, it's 2008, kids do things they shouldn't do. people need to stop acting like their kids are perfect and start finding out what they are really doing.

    weed, booze, and pills? perhaps the little boys who drove him around were high too and possibly lacking any form of motivation to help jackson. yes folks, marijuana does in fact drain peoples motivation to do anything. though you probably cant overdose on pot, when you throw pills and booze into the mix your obviously wanting to get smashed beyond belief.

    why is everyone pointing the finger at everyone else involved other than jackson? dont you realize EVERYONE is responsible? that includes the little boys who he was with, the creepy 50 year old man, and the low life scottie hoover, you can't just exclude jackson. i'm not saying he's a bad kid because i've heard nothing but great things about him, all i'm saying is, if he was as responsible and drug free as all of you have said, wouldn't this be a murder case?

    this is the reality: i highly doubt anyone forced him to take anything. no one said "take this, or else...." i'll take a stab in the dark and say this wasn't his first time using any of these substances. therefor he is partly responsible for this.

    i'm not trying to shun his life by any means, but everyone is preaching about how bad everyone else is for the string of events that happened (which they are horrible people), but at the same time, the bitter reality is that he wasn't forced to do all of it. sure peer pressure probably played a huge role, it usually does when you involve things you shouldn't be doing but he didn't pass away from natural causes, this wasn't a murder.

    and to the person who says "IF THERE WAS ANYTHING IN THIS TOWN OR EVEN CLOSE IN THIS TOWN FOR TEENS TO DO MAYBE THEY WOULDN'T HIT THE PARKING LOTS OR GO TO PARTIES...." seriously give me a break. what exactly has this town had that kept kids from doing drugs? what establishment in greencastle kept the city clean in the past or could keep the city clean? i would like to know.

    everyone is always blaming someone else, or something, like the city for the drug problems. give your kids something they can be passionate about. if there's no passion in a kid's life, there's boredom. if your passionate about SOMETHING, it would never matter what the city has to offer because you make ends meet doing what you love.

    some rich multi-millionaire isn't going to come into the city and build this extraordinary 24 hour 7 days a week facility where ALL of the cities youth go to have a good time and do positive things.

    there's too many idiots, like scottie hoover, with no ambition to do something with his life, get out of greencastle, and hang out with kids 8 years younger than him. then again, he poses as a "great role mode" to a few of those kids. sad but true those kids who think scottie hoover is "the man" would be satisfied living in that dream apartment in castlebury , living off of bush light and federal aid.

    open your eyes. a young kid died because not only were 20 other people irresponsible , but he was too. no one deserves something like this.

    then again, this never would have happened if the town had something to offer for younger adults right?

    -- Posted by getupoh on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 3:24 PM
  • It's almost unreal. A friend and I were just talking today at lunch wondering why and how something like this could happen to a town that no one used to know anything about. Now look what we've become. Dietrich had such a big impact on me just in the short time that I knew him. I wish we could have spent more time together cracking jokes and laughing all through lunch, but thanks to the stupid mistakes our generation is making, I won't be able to. Life is something you must take advantage of, don't just throw it away by having a couple hours of fun. It is a tragedy, believe me...but right now let's be happy for him that he is in a better place, and just hope that he gets the justice that he deserves. I know I'm not going to change everyone's perspective, but maybe, just maybe someone will get to the bottom of this comment and realize that it's just not worth it.

    R.I.P Diet-Rich

    - Peru

    -- Posted by dp_22_2010 on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 3:38 PM
  • You people dont need to tells us how to feel about this.This is our family that has been destroyed by this,maybe it was just a black kid that died to yall. it might be easy for yall to get over it,but we aint getting over nothing until justice is served!!!It would be different if foul play wasnt envolved, but since their was a chance that they could of saved him and didnt because of whateva b/s reasons they had. And now i'm supose to coo, just because a couple people got scared and wanted to save they own *** and tell on the other people! Well i am happy somebody came foward but that doesnt take away the fact that u had just as much to do wit!!The only thing i ask is please dont call those people his friends, because anyone that was with him tat night clearly wasnt..

    -- Posted by BIgBrah on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 3:41 PM
  • I wonder how much fun Dietrich really had that night. Passing out, not being able to breath, choking on his own tongue, vomiting, begging friends to help him, and having no one come...

    -- Posted by ursula on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 3:43 PM
  • I simply can not believe this story! I won't even say everything that's on my mind, but i must comment about idiots who placed more value on purchasing and delivering cigarettes then they did on a human being's life. whether they were friends with dietrich or not, whether they liked him or not, there was no humanity there. they could have delivered him to an emergency room and left him if they were so scared of being caught! such cowards.

    -- Posted by seekingtruth on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 5:17 PM
  • I don't agree with "getupoh" 100%. I would rather be making mistakes and learning from them, than putting people down that i have no background information on whatsoever. I would say the bigger problem in greencastle is, not drugs, but the relationships we have with the other citizens, and getupoh's comment gave a perfect example of that. Maybe put downs like that are one of the biggest reasons why people do drugs. In this case it isn't true but d*mn people lighten up. getupoh said everyone always blames people for their mistakes and then they go and point fingers at everyone. Way to stick together...I'm proud of all of us in Greencastle. Then you have people at my school wondering why I would want to move...

    -- Posted by dp_22_2010 on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 6:24 PM
  • I understand there were a lot of wrongs in this situation, but why is everyone making this boy look innocent. No one forced him to snort those pills and no one forced him to drink. I went to Greencastle High School and have lived here my whole life and have been asked numerous times by many different people to try drugs or hang out here or there and try something new. It's all in willpower, the boy did it to himself. Yes, someone supplied him all the things that caused his death and No, noone called 911 but no one knew he was going to die they all believed he would sleep it off and he would be ok. No one knew he was going to die. All you calling calling these men names probably don't even know them, they didn't know he was mixing all those things and I'm sure thier intention in it all,was not to harm him so bad that he passed away. I think people need to take a step back and look around, because probably 75% of Greencastle's population has done drugs at one time or another whether it be weed or pills or alcohol and its horrible that a situation like this is what has to happen for people to OPEN thier eyes.

    -- Posted by greencastlemom on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 9:04 PM
  • With all the problems teens have to look forward in their lives, they do not need parents letting them run free as adults. Trusting your children to always to do the right thing without spending alot of time together is not wise. The economy we live in takes multiple incomes and time is at a premium. Hopefully parents will take more time to be with kids instead of giving the a vehicle and $50 to go have fun. Kids decisions are made from the home life values NO ONE CALLED 911 WHY! the kids involved were more worried about loosing uncontrolled freedom and getting caught for the things they were doing instead of the welfare of there fellow man. It is our duty as parents to be sure are children are always truthfull with us. Lets spend a litte extra time with our kids, they will be out of your house before you blink. Lets all pray that the loss of a local teens never happens again

    -- Posted by farmer on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 9:14 PM
  • What I think everyone needs to be aware of is that none of us are the judge of Dietrich. I am sincerely disgusted to hear some of the comments being made in his name. Aside from common decency it has long been accepted that people do not speak ill of the deceased. It takes little courage to speak of rumors about someone you know when they are no longer around to defend themselves but even less courage to say it under a screen name where no one can hold you accountable.

    Kids make mistakes that is apart of life. Calling him a thug or gangster is far from the truth, and such things can only be said by someone who did not know him. The rationale behind these statements was even worse.

    I hope that when people remember Dietrich they remember who he really was. He was a kid with a world of potential that needed a good influence and direction. There are a lot of kids in this city that need the same things.

    -- Posted by Sk8true on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 9:29 PM
  • I knew Dietrich Jackson. Mostly I saw him at parties. He was a nice kid who liked to have fun, and he seemed to be friends with everyone that came across his path. I think it is a terrible thing that his life was ended so swiftly and so soon. However, I think that in light of this event, this community ought to take time, not to lay blame, but to determine what steps can be taken to prevent something like this from happening again.

    I understand that Dietrich's family and friends are grieving and they want answers, and I believe that people who have broken the law should be tried and punished if found guilty. But I also believe that hateful, unkind comments about anyone involved in this situation won't help anyone. The men and teenagers involved with the events leading up to Dietrich's death made some bad decisions and may not have lived their lives in an honest, healthy way, but I would be very surprised if every single one of them does not feel terrible about what happened and what they did. They were not alone in making bad decisions on December 15th- Dietrich made several bad choices (I agree with getupoh and greencastlemom). Maybe instead of pointing fingers (it's already clear that everyone involved in the situation could have done something to change the outcome, Dietrich and his friends included) we should take time to learn from this terrible accident. Parents, kids, adults and educators can all learn from this event.

    Many people say that the boys who were with Dietrich were not his real friends; that they sat and watched him die. Yes, those boys could have had an impact on the outcome of their Friday evening (everyone involved could have), but we must remember that these are high school boys who were just as high as Dietrich and probably hadn't the first clue about knowing how far to let something go. I highly doubt that this was the first time that Dietrich or one of his friends had vomited and passed out after using drugs and alcohol. Maybe this wasn't a unique situation for these kids, and they assumed they should just help him get sick, put him to bed, and keep an eye on him. I am skeptical that anyone could have imagined that Dietrich would never wake up. When a person's judgment is skewed, as was the case for these boys, and there is fear involved, bad decisions are often made. Don't you think that these teenagers will be living with their decisions for the rest of their lives? Punish them as the law mandates, but don't tell them that they are horrible, terrible people who killed their friend. They are just kids who made some really stupid choices.

    As we learn from this, I ask myself: why can't there be some sort of drug and alcohol education in high schools? One of the first things I learned in college was how to recognize alcohol poisoning and who to call/where to go for help. There are posters all over most college dorms warning about the dangers and signs of alcohol poisoning and drug use. Clearly kids aren't waiting until college to try these things, why should they have to wait until college to be told how to get help if they do decide to make some bad choices? If parents don't choose to educate their children and schools refuse to do so, isn't there a student group that could make some posters? What about SADD? I believe that this was a situation where bad decisions spiraled out of control and resulted in a horrible outcome. Unfortunately, high schoolers will continue to party and experiment. How can parents, educators, administrators, and other role models better prepare teenagers to say no, or to at least use better judgment when faced with similar situations so that we can prevent another unnecessary death?

    -- Posted by ghsgrad on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 10:05 PM
  • I finally took the time out to read many of the comments that were posted about the death of Dietrich. Many of you have had much time on your hand to argue back and forth about the speculation revolving around Dietrich's death, but unfortunately, I, as Dietrich's close family member who truly loved him, have been busy mourning his loss. One could blame the town of G'Castle, the school system, the parents, or even Dietrich himself for allegedly snorting pills and mixing alcohol with the drugs, as told by the ones who were with him and want to avoid self-incrimination. The fact of the matter is, yes, Dietrich did have alcohol and other controlled substances in his body, but no one will ever know what TRULY happened to Dietrich, except D and those with him. And, unfortunately, Dietrich is not here to tell us the honest truth of what happened. His final hours of life are left to be told by others. We'll never know what really happened. If the story goes how they say & D did snort some pills, than yes, he is responsible for that deathly decision, if he did in fact choose to do that. One could blame his guardian, because she could not have possibly been fully aware of his whereabouts, the crowd he hung with, or what personal issues he was dealing with if he felt as those he had to resort to taking pills, as they claim. We could blame the adults who made alcohol and drugs accessible to minors. We could blame the boys who were with him. Who could possibly watch their "friend" take pills and reach inside his mouth to move his tongue to allow him to breathe, but not reach to dial 911??!!! Thats really being a great "friend." But at the end of the day, does all this bring Dietrich back?? No. Am I glad that justice is being brought upon those individuals involved? Yes, because they violated the law and could have saved my little cousin's life. But am I surprised that they could have saved his life, but chose not too? No. I always told D that those boys down there in G'castle were not his "friends." He knew that. Many are dwelling on the fact that Dietrich, a 17 year old BOY allegedly chose to take pills with a grown MAN who made them readily available for him. That's a poor decision, if thats the one he made, but the point many of you are missing is that he could have been SAVED!! These boys watched him die. They let him die as if he was nothing. But I guess, to all those involved, he was nothing. But there's no point in pointing fingers because when I lay my head down tonight, I can have a sound and peaceful mind because I know that in his 17yrs., I showed my unconditional love to D and he knew that I truly loved him and would do anything for him.

    With all of this said, the bottom line is that Dietrich is longer here with us. He is gone. He's yet another young life lost in the solemn town of Greencastle. Those who Dietrich was TRULY close to ALL his life know who he really was. I do not have to defend his name because those who slander it were not important to him, nor do they matter to me. I know who Dietrich was. In my many trips to Atlanta, was he involved in gang activity? No. He was an academically advanced student who thrived, not only in his studies, but sports as well. Dietrich came to the town of G'castle to obtain a lifelong dream that none, but one, could fulfill and he was failed. He lived his last hours alone. With no one who truly cared. It has taken some time, but I have come to a point in which I can now be at peace knowing that, like his bookmark said, he is FREE. Free from the harsh realities of life as an adolescent. I don't come on here to be defensive or argumentative, but rather to represent his true, close family. Many on here live for drama such as this that surrounds Dietrich's death and when it all settles down, in their mind, his name will be forgotten. But for us, his memory will last forever. So, out of respect for those who Dietrich loved most, lets stop all the "he said, she said" gossip, for that's all it'll ever be and let this magnificent young man, Dietrich Jackson, rest in peace. From the bottom of my heart, I love you, D.

    -- Posted by His # 1 friend on MySpace on Thu, Jan 17, 2008, at 10:40 PM
  • Ignorance and Judgment are the biggest problems that Greencastle endures. The death of a young man at 17 not given the opportunity to reach his full potential is tragic. I was a student at Greencastle High School several years ago, and now I have a successful job, living out west. However, for those of you who are trying to place blame on this young boy for the awful events that led to his tragic death obviously did not go to school in Greencastle. IGNORANCE is what puts a damper on the school system, I will never forget when I was there, numerous students got in trouble for having drugs in their cars which were parked in the school parking lot. Of course then, instead of trying to work with these kids they got kicked out of school, so they can do what??? Continue to do drugs with out school, what a genius idea.I will be the first to admit I did many things I regret when I was in high school but hearing this story makes me realize how lucky I am I never got hurt. I am successful now, people would not look at me and ever think I did anything wrong, but yet people are willing to disgrace the memory of a young man who lost the chance to realize his potential, shame on you. Greencastle needs more, sure parents can be better but until Greencastle grows as a community the same problems will continue. People can say all day long that morals or family values can have a major influence but I had the best family and played sports all three seasons and still experimented. Yes people need to own up to the responsibility of this tragedy but the community of Greencastle needs to grow up. That's great blame the school system, the police, its just pathetic. Maybe if people stop being so ignorant and actually work together for the sake of the well being of the students things will truly get accomplished. I truly hope the people of Greencastle can come out of their judgmental shells and truly work together.

    -- Posted by experiencedstudent on Fri, Jan 18, 2008, at 2:10 AM
  • One comment suggests the GHS drug testing is NOT random and that is a true statement. Several of the kids gathering at the parking lot to get their stories together were GHS Basketball players. No test, still playing, matter closed.

    -- Posted by Trying hard on Fri, Jan 18, 2008, at 5:56 AM
  • I am a parent of three GHS grads. Way back when, Scotty Hoover was a very bad little boy. Don't think he learned overnight how to be a druggie! First hand knowledge goes along way. We didn't get help from the court system then, so why does anyone think the family of Dietrich will get justice now. I don't care who the families are of the accused, I don't care about their lives, whether they go to church or not (that does not make a person)I don't care whether they went to school with our local judge or not! A young man died, that's the bottom line!

    -- Posted by cty-govt-a-muck on Fri, Jan 18, 2008, at 7:26 AM
  • TO GHSGRAD. What a great post! TO experiencedstudent and ANY OTHER FORMER GHS student, what'up up with these "parties"? it seems almost like an underground culture. where are these parties? in cars, parking lots, homes, grassy fields?

    And, if you were a concerned parent with knowledge of the widespread availability of drugs and alcohol in our children's peer group,

    WHAT WOULD YOU ADVISE WE DO?

    WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WERE MR CHURCH?

    your answers just might start the sort of true healing that this community and school system so badly needs. Is setting an 11 pm curfew for every night the best FIRST step? you are in a unique position, you can talk honestly and openly. I hope you can help us.

    -- Posted by hope4all on Fri, Jan 18, 2008, at 7:46 AM
  • you cant but the blame on the school system parents the police and ect. These are high school kids we are talking about and yes even the st8 A perfect student can dap in drugs. This just happen to be a really bad outcome of what can happen when kids do! I as a teenager drank to much but i was lucky enuf to be around a crowd that knew i needed help and called 911. I almost died that night. would i blame those kids if they didnt call no!!!! they wer all scared!!they are teenagers for gods sake. Let this be a lesson for these kids i hate it had to take this young boys life. The drugs the partys will it stop prolly not no it wont but maybe it will get thru to a few teens going down that path. I know i thought twice about drinking again. To the parents of the teens involved wake up wake up wake up know what your kids is doing be aware of who your child is hanging out with. This could of been your child you are planning a funeral for.

    -- Posted by jessica7110 on Fri, Jan 18, 2008, at 7:54 AM
  • Yet again, you make me laugh, I'm sitting in English class and no one has ever been to an "RX party" in a class of 20, nor does anyone even know what one is. Skittles??? Please stop making assumptions. It was just a regular party and a few kids tooks some pills.

    -- Posted by natelien on Fri, Jan 18, 2008, at 8:31 AM
  • VERY WELL SAID #1 FRIEND ON MY SPACE

    R.I.P. DIETRICH... AS I ALWAYS TOLD YOU WHEN YOU WERE HERE...I LOVE YOU.....

    signing off for good

    -- Posted by pageme369 on Fri, Jan 18, 2008, at 9:22 AM
  • Did the poor adolescent behavior stop the day after the Dietrich's death? Sadly, I doubt it. How can we turn this tragedy into something positive? And because it happened in our community, it's up to us.

    QUESTION: would GHS (and probably every high school) benefit from having a forum/group of past students share their knowledge of drug and alcohol use in AND out of school grounds? Proven the night Dietrich died, current high school students cannot be the ones to expect honest answers or help from. They most likely are in a compromised position. This group would meet independent of the school corporation, and present the answers to the School Board and Administration. It should be an ongoing group, keeping the information fresh. It would put out helpful warnings or information to parents. It would educate the school system thoroughly and fairly. Maybe at the end of the day, legislation needs to be enacted. If so, perhaps call it 'Dietrich's Law' (reference to 'Zachary's Law'). Let something positive start. Today.

    -- Posted by hope4all on Fri, Jan 18, 2008, at 9:52 AM
  • I have read all the reported comments, however, when are people going to accept the fact that Parents need to be held accountable for there children's actions. Why did the parents of the involved students not question why they were out past the hour of 1:ooam????? Isn't there a curfew law??? What are the parents doing, I myself would not be able to sleep until my children were home and safe in bed.

    What examples have these parents set, let's hope they were not sitting at the Moose Lodge or other bar while this terrible situation happened. Parents it's your responsibility to know who your children hang with. Parents get involved with your kids, ask questions, check-up on them. If they say there spending the night somewhere, verify it, do random checks. WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!

    -- Posted by Casey7780 on Fri, Jan 18, 2008, at 10:13 AM
  • GHS's drug testing is a complete joke!! The oral mouth swabs are a joke! I know people who go to GHS that do drugs and don't worry about getting caught because the drug testing is shotty and doesn't work unless you have done the drugs the night before! At my high school we do the old fashioned "pee testing" that actually will come back with positive results if you have been doing drugs.

    -- Posted by rain112 on Fri, Jan 18, 2008, at 10:19 AM
  • I am also a GHS grad....8 years ago. Stricter curfews is not the answer. You think these kids drink and take drugs only late at night? It happens at all times of the day. I remember hanging out with a relay team from the track team. I asked one of the members (my close friend)..."where the rest of your relay team?" His response, "they're smoking pot." Keep in mind, this is literally 2 hrs before the track meet. These were also kids from "upstanding families", whatever that means. We need to make teens more aware of the consequences of these decisions. Lots and lots of information goes a long way. Parents also need to be more aware of what is going on. My parents had tabs on me at all times. I wasn't too fond of it then but I am grateful of it now.

    -- Posted by indtonyc on Fri, Jan 18, 2008, at 10:31 AM
  • I think that hope4all is on the right track with this situation. Instead of talking about ideals including absolute parent involvement and more ubiquitous law enforcement, why don't we focus on actual practical steps that can be taken to prevent another drug death in our community?

    I like the idea of talking to teenagers- graduates and high schoolers alike. However, in order for information to be accurate and for inquiries to be effective, I think that they would have to be anonymous. I also think that due to the unique situation that most high schoolers (and even underage college students like myself) are in, they would be unwilling to discuss the realities of partying, etc. unless they were assured that their information would not be used against them, but to help protect others. I think that if Dietrich's friends had not been so afraid of getting in trouble- and of getting him in trouble- they may have taken more action.

    I also think that we must adopt a different attitude when thinking about high schoolers who regularly use drugs and abuse prescription medications. These kids are the ones who need help- probably extra help. Chances are, kids who are taking drugs and who are looking up to drug dealing 23 year olds are not the ones who have a lot of parental guidance or involvement. Drug testing should be used as a tool to identify kids that need HELP. If the school system is going to test athletes and drivers, they ought to test everyone- teachers and administrators included. Students testing positive for drugs should be reprimanded as outlined by the drug policy and then targeted for counseling and future drug tests- not expulsion. Disciplinary action should be taken, but these students should not be made to feel badly about themselves as people. They are young and should be given a chance at reform in a monitored environment before they are expelled and left without any school to keep them from adopting worse habits.

    I think one of the first steps for the school to take would be to outline the drug policy very explicitly. Things may have changed in the few years since I graduated, but it seems that the administration punishes drug and tobacco offenses on a variable case-by-case basis. When I was in high school, a student brought cigarettes on to the tobacco free campus- he was suspended and barred from sports. This year, a student does the same thing, and he is expelled! If there is an explicit drug policy, then no one can argue that officials are handling particular cases unfairly or showing favoritism. Schools need to have a response plan in place so that they can be proactive about reacting to these problems. This includes teachers recognizing and reporting suspected drug related behavior. This behavior can then be investigated before anyone is punished- that way legal issues can be avoided.

    I think that one of the first places to attack this problem is in the schools- stopping drug use and trafficking on school grounds. Then, I like the idea of some sort of forum where young people can help make parents more aware of the realities of high school parties and night life. Parents have to be aware of what is really going on, what signs to look for, good ways to double check where their children are in order to "keep tabs on their kids". Furthermore, curbing drug usage among adults in the community through proactive law enforcement can help limit access to drugs of all kinds. Knowledge is a very powerful thing, and hopefully the knowledge of Dietrich's last evening here can help kids decide to say no to drugs and help this community decide to take active steps to prevent drug related deaths.

    -- Posted by ghsgrad on Fri, Jan 18, 2008, at 12:20 PM
  • So tell me, bondsman..are you saying that the boy who CARRIED Dietrich to his truck and then into his grandma's house ..and then PULLED HIS TONGUE OUT OF HIS MOUTH should just go on living his life, without any punishment at all?

    I'd have to agree in the thought that perhaps D didn't know what he was taking..and I know for a fact that the guys who gave it to him KNEW the consequence of the drug (after putting two people in the hospital previously over the same thing)

    The blame falls on more than just Dietrich..He was a lot of things but one thing he wasn't was stupid.

    -- Posted by jordankarch on Fri, Jan 18, 2008, at 2:09 PM
  • To be a Better Parent: You should thank God you have such a perfect life with perfect friends. As for me I do try and keep a handle on where my son is and with who he is with. However when there are parents out there supplying booze to the kids making statements like " I would rather they do it here that on some back road" it is hard. When I find this and call the Proscuter and find nothing can be done I guess I'm a lousey parent. Thanks for setting the standard. I do know the 17yr old who has been arrested and I tell each of you this isn't a really bad boy, he is a youth who made a grave mistake and YOU BETTER BELIEVE YOUR CHILD IS ONE BAD DECISION FROM BEING RIGHT THERE. I do care if you think you have did a bang up job one moment cange change everything regardlees of who you are.

    -- Posted by Trying hard on Fri, Jan 18, 2008, at 5:13 PM
  • oceangirl... I graudated from GHS about 3 years ago and I'm going to have to say I believe natelien when he says 20 of those kids have no idea what those RX parties are. I knew and talked to A LOT of people in that school and had NEVER ONCE heard of a RX party or these so called skittles until channel 6 news started reporting about it. Which maybe that's where you got your info too? Maybe not..but regardless...There's A LOT more people than you think who have no idea what this stuff is...

    -- Posted by putcoresident on Fri, Jan 18, 2008, at 11:16 PM
  • Any humanitarian individual would have dropped Dietrich off at an emergency room when he began to show signs of great physical distress. There are no excuses for anyone involved in this. Not for Dietrich, not for any of his friends, and especially not for the adults involved. Even the heaviest stoner in town knows what to do in the event of an emergency. There is simply no excuse for Dietrich, his actions or his choice of friends, but especially there is no excuse for his preventable death.

    -- Posted by luther on Sat, Jan 19, 2008, at 1:56 PM
  • hey oceangirl, maybe you shouldn't assume things, times have changed since you have been in high school and in my opinion, it's gone to hell. It's our fault but times change thats all I can say. Our generation has been making bad decisions ever since we stepped foot in the high school. I was hanging with the wrong crowd my whole freshman year and part of my sophomore. Luckily, i lightened up before any of this happened...This could have easily been any of your kids you just don't realize it. Maybe the reason why all of us got into this mess is because we have no idea how to manage our time. Instead, the majority of us were going out behind our parents back and making decisions just like this, maybe not to this extent but it happened. It doesn't always matter how hard the parents are on the kids. Someone who has parents that have them on lockdown could have just as easily went out and did the same thing because they had no freedom. Also, a kid with no supervision at all could have. I'm just hoping that this opens up the eyes of my classmates.

    -- Posted by dp_22_2010 on Sun, Jan 20, 2008, at 1:02 AM
  • why the cops werent called..i have no idea.

    but if we didnt have all these "smart" people giving teens drugs, alcohol or whatever..we may just be a little better off. i will admit, if i were in this situation, i would have panicked, but i know for **** sure the cops would be called no matter how much trouble i would get in. A REAL FRIEND WOULD DO THAT! I WOULD NEVER CONSIDER NOT CALLING THE COPS. they had HOURS and HOURS to call, or do something. NO, absoulutly NO action was taken. they could have even dropped him off at the hospital. if anyones to BLAME it those who drove around and bought cigarettes instead of taking him to the hospital. yeah, maybe he shouldnt have taken the drugs, but kids experiment it happens. I just hope that those who were arrested realize what they did. they deserve time. COULD YOU IMAGINE BEING DIETRICHS GRANDMOTHER? THINK ABOUT IT

    Dietrich...we miss you.

    -- Posted by weve_all_been_there on Mon, Jan 21, 2008, at 12:33 PM
  • Could you imagine waking up to the fact that your best friend who you love very much is dead on the couch and you could have stopped it?? these kids ARE going through hell right now, and you people are just making it worse. keep your comments to yourself please. You all are getting stuff mixed up and going off of what you hear on the news as pure truth its not. and im just asking, please stop posting on this and the others.

    -- Posted by imisslild on Tue, Jan 22, 2008, at 6:14 AM
  • Even some 4 year olds know to dial 911!

    -- Posted by cty-govt-a-muck on Tue, Jan 22, 2008, at 9:23 AM
  • WOW, I am disgusted by all of the disrespectful things that are being said about a DEAD BOY. YES, this boy made a choice to use drugs & alcohol. He has paid the ultimate price for that choice. BUT, the fact still remains that their were people involved, adults & kids-who could have done something as simple as pick up the phone and make a call that could have saved his life. Weren't some of these people supposed to be his friends? They would rather "their friend" die then get into trouble for doing things that they KNOW are WRONG. That sure as hell tells me a lot about the character of a person! Now instead of just answering to a judge for their mistakes, they will also have to asnswer to the Lord when that day comes.

    R.I.P Dietrich

    ~Never look down on anybody unless you're helping him up--Jesse Jackson~

    -- Posted by Godfearingmom on Tue, Jan 22, 2008, at 4:33 PM
  • I understand the pain the family is going though. I've been there. A very close member of my family died from a drug overdose. Its very painful. And it also did'nt help his suppler walked free. That was 2 and a half years ago. I have now come to realize not only his supplier was a fault, but my family member was also at fault. No one forced them to do anything. They knew what they were doing wasn't the first time. I think no one should be punished. Everyone was a fault. I believe instead we should use this as and example to teach our kids that drugs are no good and to work as a community to build from this and grow. I knew D. and I know Hoover. It wasn't the first time for D. He had all kinds of friends that supplies him with drugs. I also feel Hoover shouldn't be the only one suffering. Why put just his name in the dirt. There were lots of people at fault. Don't use Hoover as the only middleman. No one knew how bad D was but the ones that took him in his grandma's home. Why don't you try starting there, blaming those kids for not getting help. JUST QUIT PUTTING ALL THE BLAME ON HOOVER. LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE>

    -- Posted by GCRESIDENT on Thu, Jan 24, 2008, at 12:32 AM
  • Hey POINTER: I never said I have the perfect life! No human being does! I never said my child won't make bad decisions in his life either! I just think too many of these CHILDREN ARE BEING TREATED MORE LIKE ADULTS RATHER THAN THE CHILDREN THEY ARE! If they are doing no wrong they won't care if you call their buddies' parents HOME phone to make sure they are where they said they would be! I also know the one juvenile that was arrested and released to his parents! He is a kind kid! He is well-liked by his peers and adults in the community. He could be a high-honor roll student if he applied himself because he is very intelligent! He is a great athlete! We don't know what happened that night if we weren't there. I don't even know exactly what the law enforcement arrested him for; what he is being accussed of! But I do know he made one bad decision that night! That was to place himslf in the environment he did! But as a CHILD, he probably did not see it as a bad choice because he was giving a friend in need a ride to where he WANTED to go! We have to teach our children to walk away or leave situations where alcohol and drugs are present even if they are not particpating! But I hope that the law enforcement and court system does not make an example of this one juvenile! Any juvenile involved or that ends up arrested needs to make the same trip to the juvenile center; let them feel the FEAR! That is what is wrong with this generation of kids! They are not scared of the consequences of to their actions!!!

    -- Posted by be a better parent on Wed, Jan 30, 2008, at 8:46 PM
  • Dietrach is missed by everyone and even though efforts have been made to bring justice to d`s family and friends im constantly reminded that its not enough. people i feel should be held responsible still walk the halls of my schoool going on about there lives almost as if they havent the slighest bit of guilt or remorse for dietrich. D was an amazing person, the choices he made in life werent one to live up to but thats who he was as a person. i also feel the D is rememberd as this huge drugy and a kid that had nothing going for him...thats hugly wrong! Dietrich had many plans for his future the intentions of going to collage, he made good grades, and was always the kind of person that you could count on. D was also known for his talent in rapping, he was extreamly skilled and had his life not been taken i know he would of done all that he could do to be all that he could be. We all make mistakes and unfortunatly an amazing person lost his life because of it...i have learned a great lesson by the lose of my friend about choices and friendships (who my real friends really are)...we all love and miss dietrich greatly.

    Love you D` Rest In Peace

    ~ Lil-Nana

    -- Posted by aebannon on Tue, Feb 12, 2008, at 9:46 AM
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