Homeowner may be charged in 16-year-old's death
By Ryan Lillis - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 6:41 am PDT Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Story appeared in METRO section, Page B3
The 16-year-old boy found dead outside a Colfax home Sunday afternoon showed up drunk at the house the night before and later downed at least two pills with beer, according to a friend.
The homeowner, who found Justin Stoddard passed out in a bedroom Sunday morning, allegedly ordered that he be taken outside to "sleep off" a night of partying, said Placer County Sheriff's Sgt. Brian Whigam, a department spokesman.
Friends first placed the boy in a chair on the front porch before the homeowner told them to put him in a side yard, Whigam said.
Stoddard eventually stopped breathing and was found in the yard about 2 p.m.
The homeowner -- a father of one of the teenage boys at the home Saturday night -- may face charges of criminal negligence or child endangerment after toxicology tests determine the cause of death, Whigam said. Police have not identified the homeowner.
Authorities will look at whether Stoddard died of an alcohol or drug overdose, or if he died from exposure to the elements, Whigam said.
The toxicology report is expected to take at least three weeks.
Authorities have interviewed the homeowner and all three boys who were with Stoddard the night before he died, Whigam said.
"There are several factors that may have led to his death," Whigam said.
Andy Smith, a sophomore at Colfax High School and a friend of Stoddard's, was among several youths who gathered Tuesday at a memorial of candles and balloons that has sprouted in a park in downtown Colfax, a small city 50 miles northeast of Sacramento.
Smith said he was at the home Saturday when Stoddard showed up and that his friend arrived drunk, then swallowed two pills and two more beers before eventually passing out.
The homeowner returned home late Saturday, Smith said, and was angry when he awoke Sunday to find Stoddard asleep in a bedroom.
Smith said he and two friends placed Stoddard in a chair on the front porch about 10 a.m. before being told by the homeowner to lay him on a trampoline in the side yard about noon.
Smith said they did not initially call for help because they had seen Stoddard pass out before.
"If this wasn't a regular thing, we would have called 911 right away," he said. "We saw him pass out a lot. This was normal."
Smith said that he and a friend walked downtown for food, then returned to the home between 1:30 and 2 p.m. and found Stoddard "turning bluish."
The homeowner's son called 911 when they realized Stoddard wasn't breathing, Smith said, adding he began giving his unconscious friend "chest compressions."
"I knew it was too late, but I had to try anyway," he said.
The Bee was unable to locate Stoddard's family Tuesday.
At the makeshift memorial, beneath a banner of signatures and a photograph of Stoddard, friends had filled a notebook with dozens of handwritten messages to the boy and his family.
"I just wrote I wish he was here to skate with us," said Brandon Staab, 16.
Although Stoddard attended Chana High School in Auburn, he lived in Colfax and spent most of his time there, his friends said.
"He liked to laugh," said Stephan Lomen, 16, sitting in a gazebo near the memorial. "He liked to go to the river and camp.
"He was a good friend."
About the writer:
The Bee's Ryan Lillis can be reached at (916) 321-1085 or [email protected]. Bee researcher Sheila A. Kern contributed to this report.
By Ryan Lillis - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 6:41 am PDT Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Story appeared in METRO section, Page B3
The 16-year-old boy found dead outside a Colfax home Sunday afternoon showed up drunk at the house the night before and later downed at least two pills with beer, according to a friend.
The homeowner, who found Justin Stoddard passed out in a bedroom Sunday morning, allegedly ordered that he be taken outside to "sleep off" a night of partying, said Placer County Sheriff's Sgt. Brian Whigam, a department spokesman.
Friends first placed the boy in a chair on the front porch before the homeowner told them to put him in a side yard, Whigam said.
Stoddard eventually stopped breathing and was found in the yard about 2 p.m.
The homeowner -- a father of one of the teenage boys at the home Saturday night -- may face charges of criminal negligence or child endangerment after toxicology tests determine the cause of death, Whigam said. Police have not identified the homeowner.
Authorities will look at whether Stoddard died of an alcohol or drug overdose, or if he died from exposure to the elements, Whigam said.
The toxicology report is expected to take at least three weeks.
Authorities have interviewed the homeowner and all three boys who were with Stoddard the night before he died, Whigam said.
"There are several factors that may have led to his death," Whigam said.
Andy Smith, a sophomore at Colfax High School and a friend of Stoddard's, was among several youths who gathered Tuesday at a memorial of candles and balloons that has sprouted in a park in downtown Colfax, a small city 50 miles northeast of Sacramento.
Smith said he was at the home Saturday when Stoddard showed up and that his friend arrived drunk, then swallowed two pills and two more beers before eventually passing out.
The homeowner returned home late Saturday, Smith said, and was angry when he awoke Sunday to find Stoddard asleep in a bedroom.
Smith said he and two friends placed Stoddard in a chair on the front porch about 10 a.m. before being told by the homeowner to lay him on a trampoline in the side yard about noon.
Smith said they did not initially call for help because they had seen Stoddard pass out before.
"If this wasn't a regular thing, we would have called 911 right away," he said. "We saw him pass out a lot. This was normal."
Smith said that he and a friend walked downtown for food, then returned to the home between 1:30 and 2 p.m. and found Stoddard "turning bluish."
The homeowner's son called 911 when they realized Stoddard wasn't breathing, Smith said, adding he began giving his unconscious friend "chest compressions."
"I knew it was too late, but I had to try anyway," he said.
The Bee was unable to locate Stoddard's family Tuesday.
At the makeshift memorial, beneath a banner of signatures and a photograph of Stoddard, friends had filled a notebook with dozens of handwritten messages to the boy and his family.
"I just wrote I wish he was here to skate with us," said Brandon Staab, 16.
Although Stoddard attended Chana High School in Auburn, he lived in Colfax and spent most of his time there, his friends said.
"He liked to laugh," said Stephan Lomen, 16, sitting in a gazebo near the memorial. "He liked to go to the river and camp.
"He was a good friend."
About the writer:
The Bee's Ryan Lillis can be reached at (916) 321-1085 or [email protected]. Bee researcher Sheila A. Kern contributed to this report.
Homeowner may be charged in 16-year-old's death
By Ryan Lillis - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 6:41 am PDT Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Story appeared in METRO section, Page B3
The 16-year-old boy found dead outside a Colfax home Sunday afternoon showed up drunk at the house the night before and later downed at least two pills with beer, according to a friend.
The homeowner, who found Justin Stoddard passed out in a bedroom Sunday morning, allegedly ordered that he be taken outside to "sleep off" a night of partying, said Placer County Sheriff's Sgt. Brian Whigam, a department spokesman.
Friends first placed the boy in a chair on the front porch before the homeowner told them to put him in a side yard, Whigam said.
Stoddard eventually stopped breathing and was found in the yard about 2 p.m.
The homeowner -- a father of one of the teenage boys at the home Saturday night -- may face charges of criminal negligence or child endangerment after toxicology tests determine the cause of death, Whigam said. Police have not identified the homeowner.
Authorities will look at whether Stoddard died of an alcohol or drug overdose, or if he died from exposure to the elements, Whigam said.
The toxicology report is expected to take at least three weeks.
Authorities have interviewed the homeowner and all three boys who were with Stoddard the night before he died, Whigam said.
"There are several factors that may have led to his death," Whigam said.
Andy Smith, a sophomore at Colfax High School and a friend of Stoddard's, was among several youths who gathered Tuesday at a memorial of candles and balloons that has sprouted in a park in downtown Colfax, a small city 50 miles northeast of Sacramento.
Smith said he was at the home Saturday when Stoddard showed up and that his friend arrived drunk, then swallowed two pills and two more beers before eventually passing out.
The homeowner returned home late Saturday, Smith said, and was angry when he awoke Sunday to find Stoddard asleep in a bedroom.
Smith said he and two friends placed Stoddard in a chair on the front porch about 10 a.m. before being told by the homeowner to lay him on a trampoline in the side yard about noon.
Smith said they did not initially call for help because they had seen Stoddard pass out before.
"If this wasn't a regular thing, we would have called 911 right away," he said. "We saw him pass out a lot. This was normal."
Smith said that he and a friend walked downtown for food, then returned to the home between 1:30 and 2 p.m. and found Stoddard "turning bluish."
The homeowner's son called 911 when they realized Stoddard wasn't breathing, Smith said, adding he began giving his unconscious friend "chest compressions."
"I knew it was too late, but I had to try anyway," he said.
The Bee was unable to locate Stoddard's family Tuesday.
At the makeshift memorial, beneath a banner of signatures and a photograph of Stoddard, friends had filled a notebook with dozens of handwritten messages to the boy and his family.
"I just wrote I wish he was here to skate with us," said Brandon Staab, 16.
Although Stoddard attended Chana High School in Auburn, he lived in Colfax and spent most of his time there, his friends said.
"He liked to laugh," said Stephan Lomen, 16, sitting in a gazebo near the memorial. "He liked to go to the river and camp.
"He was a good friend."
About the writer:
The Bee's Ryan Lillis can be reached at (916) 321-1085 or [email protected]. Bee researcher Sheila A. Kern contributed to this report.
By Ryan Lillis - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 6:41 am PDT Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Story appeared in METRO section, Page B3
The 16-year-old boy found dead outside a Colfax home Sunday afternoon showed up drunk at the house the night before and later downed at least two pills with beer, according to a friend.
The homeowner, who found Justin Stoddard passed out in a bedroom Sunday morning, allegedly ordered that he be taken outside to "sleep off" a night of partying, said Placer County Sheriff's Sgt. Brian Whigam, a department spokesman.
Friends first placed the boy in a chair on the front porch before the homeowner told them to put him in a side yard, Whigam said.
Stoddard eventually stopped breathing and was found in the yard about 2 p.m.
The homeowner -- a father of one of the teenage boys at the home Saturday night -- may face charges of criminal negligence or child endangerment after toxicology tests determine the cause of death, Whigam said. Police have not identified the homeowner.
Authorities will look at whether Stoddard died of an alcohol or drug overdose, or if he died from exposure to the elements, Whigam said.
The toxicology report is expected to take at least three weeks.
Authorities have interviewed the homeowner and all three boys who were with Stoddard the night before he died, Whigam said.
"There are several factors that may have led to his death," Whigam said.
Andy Smith, a sophomore at Colfax High School and a friend of Stoddard's, was among several youths who gathered Tuesday at a memorial of candles and balloons that has sprouted in a park in downtown Colfax, a small city 50 miles northeast of Sacramento.
Smith said he was at the home Saturday when Stoddard showed up and that his friend arrived drunk, then swallowed two pills and two more beers before eventually passing out.
The homeowner returned home late Saturday, Smith said, and was angry when he awoke Sunday to find Stoddard asleep in a bedroom.
Smith said he and two friends placed Stoddard in a chair on the front porch about 10 a.m. before being told by the homeowner to lay him on a trampoline in the side yard about noon.
Smith said they did not initially call for help because they had seen Stoddard pass out before.
"If this wasn't a regular thing, we would have called 911 right away," he said. "We saw him pass out a lot. This was normal."
Smith said that he and a friend walked downtown for food, then returned to the home between 1:30 and 2 p.m. and found Stoddard "turning bluish."
The homeowner's son called 911 when they realized Stoddard wasn't breathing, Smith said, adding he began giving his unconscious friend "chest compressions."
"I knew it was too late, but I had to try anyway," he said.
The Bee was unable to locate Stoddard's family Tuesday.
At the makeshift memorial, beneath a banner of signatures and a photograph of Stoddard, friends had filled a notebook with dozens of handwritten messages to the boy and his family.
"I just wrote I wish he was here to skate with us," said Brandon Staab, 16.
Although Stoddard attended Chana High School in Auburn, he lived in Colfax and spent most of his time there, his friends said.
"He liked to laugh," said Stephan Lomen, 16, sitting in a gazebo near the memorial. "He liked to go to the river and camp.
"He was a good friend."
About the writer:
The Bee's Ryan Lillis can be reached at (916) 321-1085 or [email protected]. Bee researcher Sheila A. Kern contributed to this report.
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