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Mankato, Minn. (AP)

Teen dead after night of drinking at Mankato park

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A teenage boy found dead in a Mankato park after drinking with his brothers and friends had a blood-alcohol content about four times the legal limit for driving, police said Saturday.

Authorities identified the victim as Andrew Anderson, 16, of Le Hillier. He was a sophomore at Mankato West High School.

A preliminary examination determined Anderson had a blood-alcohol content of 0.353 percent. An autopsy will be conducted. Police stopped short of saying alcohol use caused his death, instead saying it was a factor.

"This is a very tragic day for all of us in our community," Mankato Area Public Schools Superintendent Ed Waltman said, "particularly to Andrew's family and friends." School district administrators say counseling will be available to students.

Authorities were called to Land of Memories Park around 11:40 p.m. Friday and found the teen not breathing at the top of a large hill in the center of the park. Police, firefighters and paramedics had to scale the rain-slickened hill in the dark to try to save Anderson. But he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators said Anderson and four others were drinking alcohol in the park and that the boy passed out. The others in the group called for help when they noticed he wasn't breathing.

Police say two of those in the group were Anderson's 18- and 19-year-old brothers. The other two were an 18-year-old and a 16-year-old, both from Mankato.

Authorities said they found two 1.75-liter bottles of vodka. One was empty, the other had about a quarter left.

After a period of drinking, Anderson passed out and fell off the log he was sitting on. The others, who had told Anderson to stop drinking, moved him away from the log and told police they positioned him in a way they thought would prevent him from choking if he vomited.

The others later returned to Anderson, found his skin had begun to turn blue and called police.

Police are investigating to determine if charges should be sought against anyone. Police are looking into how the group obtained the alcohol and whether there were others on the hill with them before authorities arrived.

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Information from: The Free Press, http://www.mankatofreepress.com