The boy’s mother, Paulette L. Richardson and stepfather, Joseph M. Richardson, told the authorities that Balls’ biological father was an alcoholic and they were anxious the teen would follow in his footsteps. The parents apparently wanted Kendal to get sick after alcohol consumption and learn about its bad after-effects the hard way.
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According to court documents, 16-year-old Kendal Ball had continually expressed an urge to consume alcohol.
Paulette checked on Ball at about 11 pm and received a thumbs up from his bed.
The couple told Hale the boy had been given several liqueur-based mixed drinks and shots of scotch during a two-hour drinking bout in which his stepfather also imbibed but his mother did not. When they went back to check on him a few hours later, they found him blue and unconscious.
The teen was not responding, however, when Joseph conducted a second check around 3:45 am.
A sheriff’s deputy found the boy dead on the floor of a bedroom in a pool of vomit and dark, thick fluid that had issued from his mouth, according to court documents.
An autopsy listed the teen’s cause of death as “complications of acute alcohol poisoning”.
‘I am not here to make parenting decisions for people’
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Sheriff Doug Matthews said on Tuesday that the incident was “a tragedy”.
On September 15, both parents were charged with involuntary manslaughter, which could lead to nearly 20 years in prison.
“People need to realize that there are natural consequences to their decisions,” said Uinta County attorney Loretta Gerrard.
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“What I hope people understand, however, is that some traditional parenting love, wives tales or theories don’t apply in an age where we have refined products that accelerate the effect of chemicals on the human body”. The AP reports the Richardsons were still in county jail as of yesterday and have a preliminary hearing on Friday.
