News / Health & Wellness
Drug Overdose Death of Teen Football Player Reverberates
A teen football player dies of an apparent overdose and four more teens face charges for contributing to his death, allowing drugs to ruin five young lives.
The event happened in Southern California, where 18-year-old Griffen Kramer, a high school quarterback and son of Erik Kramer, who played for the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions, died of an apparent drug overdose, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
Kramer was found dead October 30, 2011, in a friend's bedroom in the Orange County city of Agoura Hills. That friend, David Nernberg, 19, is charged with involuntary manslaughter and possession of a controlled substance, authorities said. After further investigating into apparent narcotics-related activities, police also charged Corey Baumann, 19, with involuntary manslaughter and possession of a controlled substance for sales. The two other teenagers were also charged, but since they are minors, their names weren’t released by the Sherriff’s office.
Kramer, a 6-foot 210-pound senior, played quarterback at Thousand Oaks High School.
Police allege that Griffen, Nernberg and a juvenile met at Sumac Park in Agoura Hills on October 29 and drove to a nearby cul-de-sac, where Griffen injected narcotics, causing him to instantly become ill and unconscious. Law enforcement then believes that Nernberg dragged the unconscious Griffen into his car and drove him around the area. Nernberg then made several calls, trying to find a friend’s house to go to, but allegedly was turned down because the friends’ parents were home, police said. Instead Nernberg allegedly took a still unconscious Griffen to Nernberg's own home and didn't seek medical attention for his desperately ill friend until the next morning when Griffen was still unconscious, authorities alleged.
Investigators believe Griffen likely died from an overdose, but they are still awaiting toxicology results. Meanwhile, one teen boy’s life is over and four others are changed forever.
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