It is a fact, it is against the law for teens to drink alcoholic beverages. Underage drinking is illegal, even if a parent gives permission.
In St. Augustine the trial of Diane Katz Santarelli has started. She is the mother accused of hosting numerous house parties where teens drank alcohol and used drugs. The trial will possibly go into next week.
She has been indicted for two counts of manslaughter after two intoxicated teens left a party and died in a car crash.
According to police reports, 18-year-old Jessy Pitts and 17-year-old Taylor Brennan were killed January 12th, 2009 when Pitts crashed his car on State Road 13, a few miles from Santarelli's home where they had attended a party. Pitts' blood-alcohol level was .18.
St. Johns County Sheriff David Shoar has said Santarelli regularly had house parties with 15 to 50 people, and that most of the attendees were friends of Santarelli's 18-year-old daughter.
According to Santarelli's arrest report, the parties were unsupervised, and the mother took part in some of the activities. Source: First Coast News
Serving teens alcohol is illegal. Having parties that serve drugs and alcohol to minors is illegal. Hosting these parties is irresponsible and illegal, however when it results in the death of two youths it is tragic.
Parents need to learn from this story, if your teen is attempting to convince you that it is o-kay to serve a spiked bunch or just a few beers, think twice. Think about this trial and think about the lives of the teens and their future. Your teen may be mad at you for a while, but they will have a lifetime to get over it and live.
Related articles:
Supervised Underage Drinking
Too Smart to Start
The Cool Spot - Educating Your Pre-Teens and Teens
Above the Influence
Drinking and Parenting: Talk to Your Teens (free materials)
Buzzed Driving Kills the Same as Drunk Driving
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