Tacoma's NewsTribune.com just released information that the family of a local teenager who died of a drug overdose at Fort Lewis (now Joint Base Lewis-McChord) will receive a settlement of $40,000, paid by the base security contractor and the government.
Doyon, the third party contractor for Fort Lewis in 2009, will cough up $5,000 for their lack of security in allowing the underage teenager on base. The U.S. government will pay an additional $35,000 to King’s family for failure to remove her from the base.
The deceased, Leah King, 16, was a sophomore at Lakes High School in Lakewood, Wash.
One month after the incident, Army private Timothy E. Bennitt, 19, a combat engineer, was charged in the case. He was later sentenced to almost 6 years in prison in connection with providing Ms. King with the illegal prescription medications that ultimately caused her death.
According to records released in the case, Pvt. Bennitt had notified his NCOIC of the girl’s presence in his barracks about midnight, Feb. 15, 2009. She was not removed from the area and was dead just three hours later.
Another female teenager on base was rushed to Madigan Hospital that night and later recovered.
Bennitt had been previously suspected of dealing in prescription medications at the base.
Doyon no longer provides security for JBLM.
Reportedly, the family is not happy with the court settlement. Read the full NewsTribune online article here.
The National Military Examiner publishes military and military-related content from around the world that often misses mainstream media, including all troop losses.
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