Maryland

Maryland High School Student Died From Alcohol Poisoning, Drowning, Cold, Medical Examiner Says

Sepehri disappeared after he left a party alone despite friends' concerns about his well-being, sources told News4

The Maryland high school student who was found dead in a wooded area in Bethesda, Maryland, on Sunday died from a combination of alcohol poisoning, drowning and hypothermia, officials said.

The body of Navid Nicholas Sepehri was found in Bethesda after he never got home Saturday night. He was 17 and a senior at Walt Whitman High School.

The Baltimore's chief medical examiner released an autopsy report on Friday listing the cause of death as “acute alcohol intoxication complicated by drowning and hypothermia."

His death was accidental, the medical examiner ruled.

Sepehri disappeared after he left a party alone despite friends' concerns about his well-being, sources told News4. 

The teen's father, Frank Sepehri, located his body in a small pool of water. 

"I found him," Frank Sepehri said, his voice full of emotion. 

Navid Sepehri was last seen about 11:30 Saturday, Montgomery County police said. He went to a party on Elgin Lane that was broken up by police after someone told police they suspected teens were drinking. 

Some of the juveniles ran from the home as the officers approached. A teen who police later learned was Navid Sepehri spoke with police. 

"Officers recognized that (Navid) Sepehri may have been under the influence and confirmed with the juveniles that Sepehri would leave when the juveniles left," police said in statement issued Tuesday night. 

Navid Sepehri's friends offered to call him an Uber. But he said he was OK and disappeared on foot, sources said. 

He never arrived home. 

His father said he went to the Bethesda police station about 3 a.m. Sunday to talk with an officer. He said the officer told him to wait. 

"She told me that kids, this happened. Just wait until tomorrow morning. 10, 11 o'clock. I'm sure he'll show up," he said the officer told him. 

Police said they searched for Navid Sepehri. Then, his father found his body near nightfall, on the 6500 block of Laverock Lane. The family lived less than three miles away.

Frank Sepehri said police did not help his family. 

"Police didn't do anything for us. Nothing. Zero," he said. "Sitting in the shopping center, drinking coffee." 

Capt. Paul Starks said officers were looking for Navid Sepehri. 

"When the father cried out, there were other officers nearby in the woods who heard Navid's father exclaim that he had found his son," Starks said. 

The department is reviewing the case. 

At least one teen told police the hosts of the party Navid Sepehri attended told the teens to call their parents and go home after learning uninvited guests brought alcohol to the party. One of the homeowners told police he believed the uninvited teens may have learned about the party on social media. 

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