Teen Girl Dies at Rave; Probe Promised

Managers of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum are promising a thorough investigation after a 15-year-old girl died after attending a rave over the weekend at the venue.

The June 25-26 event drew 185,000 people. But more than 226 were injured, 114 taken to the hospital mostly for drug intoxication.

Sasha Rodriguez ended up with brain damage after reportedly drinking from a friend's water bottle laced with the drug ecstasy. She died Tuesday after being on life support at the California Hospital Medical Center.

She was one of two party-goers who were in critical condition and treated for drug intoxication after attending the weekend's 14th annual Electric Daisy Carnival. The event was billed as the largest dance party of its kind in North America, but when the crowds of dancers piled into the Coliseum over the weekend, many couldn't stay on their feet, reports CBS News correspondent Ben Tracy.

At a rave at another state-owned arena near San Francisco last month, two young men died, likely from drug overdoses. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has now ordered a review of event guidelines at all state facilities.

Several major cities, including Denver, Milwaukee, Chicago, New Orleans and New York have cut down on raves by enforcing curfew laws and fire codes.

The people who run the Coliseum say they try to minimize drug use and injuries.

[thevondutchezz]

This is a terrible tragedy that never should have happened. My thoughts and prayers go out to family & freinds. I was @ a party many years ago i was about 19, they had a huge tank of laughing gas and they were filling baloons up and then breathing it in. They offered it to me and i said NO Way!! I thought they were all crazy. I now have teenagers of my own and i hope they say no when that moment arrives in they're life. I dont think i could handle that kind of grief. Again my deepest sympathies & prayers go out to family. So sorry

[inmaryland1]

Shoot. All of you have already forgotten Woodstock.

[Scimajor]

What? The idiots allowing these events to happen just figured out that rave events are nothing more than drug parties?

I guess unless it's called "Drug party" instead of "Rave" that makes it too complex for people to figure out?

Gee? Do you think that Rave's should be banned? Of course since the activities that it's all about involve the use of already illegal drugs!

[jnostromo]

Do you think ecstay was the only drug present...the point is that the drugs present were illegal and yes they line the pockets of the mexican, columbian drug cartels etc.. and the people using them are being laughed at as stupid fools...do you really think these raves are about music? are people that naieve? I wonder how many girls were assaulted and don't remember, how many other incidents went on..the point of these raves is exploitation pure and simple...the ravers are puppets to be manipulated by their masters.

[enkryptedNW]

I agree that ecstacy was not the only drug present, and I in no way condone the actions of violent cartels. However; the US produces ALOT of certain consumed substances be it legal or illegal. Are raves about the music? for some people yes, for some people no. Is everyone at the latest and greatest sporting event all "about" the game? How many people are assaulted after a night at the bar? or after getting loaded at a basketball game, or just walking their dog down the street? Good people look after eachother no matter where they are, yet unfortunate things still happen. It is a reflection of society as a whole and pointing the finger at one particular group is ignorant in my opinion.

[jnostromo]

The point is that the promoters and the producers have a responsibilty and should be held accountable...unless they are brain dead, they should know the need for security, the city is equally responsible for allowing activities to go on with open exploitation...the parents of this girl were negligent ans she was stupid, but the promoters, city county etc.. were equally negligent for not providing a properly policed venue...but then again raves generally occur under the radar for that exact purpose so that people can be expoitted and profits can be made off drugs, and other criminal activity.

[alancontact]

Let's regulate all the fun out of our lives!

[jnostromo]

I'm sure the people in cuidad juarez agree with you..the drugs you take line their pockets, while they laugh at the stupid gringos

[enkryptedNW]

jnostromo - In regards to the substance in question...you are wrong, do some research on what mexico's drug exports are

[xybex2004]

Is that why the ultimate killer earthquake is going to happen in CA? Hedonism has a price.

[deeehz]

I'm pretty sure she didn't die from "drinking water".. of course she had to have taken E thats for sure! she must of popped a couple of them and thats how she overdose. but they shouldnt shut down raves just because of this incident, then start shutting down bars and clubs, because of all the drunk drivers and the inocent people that got killed. this girl knew what she was getting herself into, no ones fault but her own.

[jackp32]

Where were this kid's parents laying around the house in a drugged induced stupor unaware of where their child was?

[adoraburl]

No one dies of brain damage from drinking water laced with MDMA Professor David Nutt, Chairman of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, U.K, wrote in the Journal of Psychopharmacology: ?There is not much difference between the dangers of horse-riding and the dangers of ecstasy.?

So, what really killed this girl? And why is this false story being promulgated?

[enkryptedNW]

Maybe its the result of legal pharmaceuticals, and we all know how often issues arise out of chemicals that are deemed safe for wide distribution and mass consumption.

[credibility_problem]

MDMA, like alcohol - or Ritalin - can be very dangerous in large doses, or in combination with each other and things like dehydration. However, take a look at the top drug of abuse today - it's corporate pharmaceutical drugs fed into the black market:

"20% of U.S. High Schoolers Abuse Prescription Drugs
That's more than use cocaine, methamphetamine or ecstasy, CDC report shows"

That's from:
www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/639796.html

"In the survey, 16,460 high school students were asked if they had ever taken prescription drugs such as OxyContin, Percocet, Vicodin, Adderall, Ritalin or Xanax, without a doctor's prescription. The abuse of prescription drugs was widest among whites at 23 percent, followed by Hispanics at 17 percent, and black students at 12 percent."

"In addition, the abuse of prescription drugs was most common among 12th graders (26 percent) and lowest among ninth graders (15 percent), the researchers found. But, prescription drug abuse was the same for boys and girls, at 20 percent."

A full liver autopsy should be done in these cases, just to establish actual causes of death - but it's a truly tragic situation, regardless.