Jun 12, 2008 10:09 pm US/Central
Memorial For Student Who Died From Binge Drinking
EVANSTON, Ill. (CBS) ―
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Northwestern University student Matthew Sunshine died of alcohol poisoning on Tuesday, June 10, 2008, in his room at the Foster House dormitory.
CBS
Students at Northwestern University gathered Thursday night to remember a student no longer with them. Matthew Sunshine, 19, was found dead in his dorm room this week after a night of binge drinking.
As CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot reports, students were talking about the deep sadness they felt over the tragedy at the Foster House dormitory.
At a time when students should be celebrating the end of final exams and perhaps their graduation, many instead gathered around "The Rock" at Northwestern University Thursday evening to remember Sunshine, who died of alcohol poisoning.
Sophomore Connie Lazar said, "I know they're all very upset over there. They are all depressed about the situation. It's hard."
Sunshine was found dead in his dorm room at Foster House Tuesday morning. Police said he had attended a drinking party there Monday night.
Senior Venessa Puzon said, "That's sad; even sadder that's in his dorm. He should have been more responsible. People around him should have been more responsible."
Police said friends checked on Sunshine. He appeared to be sleeping.
It's not known how much alcohol sunshine had, but Dr. Carolynn Zonia, with St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, said if a person has six drinks in an hour, they could end up comatose.
"Someone who is not used to drinking alcohol, it can cause respiratory depression," Zonia said.
Students said they're all given a freshman orientation that includes preventing alcohol abuse. They also said that students 21 and older are allowed to drink in their dorm rooms.
Northwestern has issued a statement which says, in part, "Unfortunately, students engage in risky behavior involving alcohol. This incident is a reminder to all of us in the Northwestern community of the potentially tragic results of such behavior."
Meantime, the university also said they were looking into whether disciplinary action would be taken against other underage drinkers at the party. Police were also investigating how they got the alcohol.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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