Gilroy police revealed that Sarah Botill received vodka the
night she died from 18-year-old Kayla Dunigan, who took the alcohol
from her father’s cabinet.
Gilroy police revealed that Sarah Botill received vodka the night she died from an 18-year-old friend, Kayla Dunigan, who took the alcohol from her father’s cabinet.
The 18-year-old, legally an adult, has not been charged with any crime, but could face charges related to supplying alcohol to a minor, according to Gilroy Police Sgt. Jim Gillio.
Three girls were at a sleepover to celebrate a 16-year-old’s birthday, police said. They drank vodka and sparkling cider. About 12 ounces were consumed, police said.
At a packed press conference in the community room of the Gilroy Police Station, Gillio said press reports saying that Botill might have died from copious amounts of water in her lungs were wrong.
Gilroy police Det. Stan Devlin said after the press conference that Botill’s lungs contained fluid, an autopsy revealed
Gillio called the condition “pulomonary vascular congestion with mild edema” and said it but that could have occurred after she died. Alcohol intoxication, a cardiac event or post-mortem change could cause the fluid build-up.
Following investigative interviews, police said that Dunigan, a senior at Gilroy High School, left the household of ex-Councilman Roland Velasco where the girls held a sleepover, about 5 a.m. – an hour after Botill started vomiting.
The girls were at the Velasco home on Bunting Court in the northwest quadrant of the city to celebrate the Velasco’s 16-year-old daughter’s birthday.
After vomiting at 4 a.m. in the bathroom, Botill slept in there in case she became sick again, police said. At 8 a.m., the 16-year-old woke up and Botill told her she was not feeling well. At that point, the 16-year-old asked her mother for help. The two girls donned bathing suits – Botill was speaking and responsive – and took a 20-minute shower together to clean off the vomit. Botill sat upright in the bath-shower combo, police said. Police did not make clear what assistance Lisa Velasco provided.
When Botill exited the shower she became unresponsive but was breathing fine. At 8:44 a.m., Botill’s breathing became labored and Roland Velasco, a policy aide for Santa Clara County Supervisor Don Gage, called 911.
She was pronounced dead at Saint Louise Hospital at 9:30 a.m.
Services were held today at a packed South Valley Community Church, Firefighters and police from many local agencies came to support the Botill family which also tragically lost a 23-month-old daughter in 1999.
More details and a video of the press conference will follow this evening.
