Two 15-year-old girls spotted stumbling down a West Fargo sidewalk Tuesday morning were taken to MeritCare Hospital for overconsuming alcohol, West Fargo police said.
Chief Arland Rasmussen said an officer spotted the two girls about 10:30 a.m. at Seventh Avenue South and Third Street East.
"He continued to watch them, and they continued to stumble and fall," Rasmussen said.
The girls were taken first to police headquarters and then by ambulance to MeritCare Hospital in Fargo, where they were released to their parents, he said.
Both girls tested positive for alcohol in a Breathalyzer test. Their levels of consumption did not appear to be life-threatening, Rasmussen said.
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The girls were wearing backpacks, but Rasmussen said he didn't know if they were on their way to school. There was no alcohol in the backpacks, he said.
The Police Department is investigating the incident. The girls will be referred to juvenile court if charges are filed, Rasmussen said.
West Fargo Schools Superintendent Chuck Cheney said the girls won't face suspension because they weren't drinking or drunk on school property. They may be sanctioned for unexcused absences, he said.
"It's primarily in the parents' hands," he said.
The school district has a consultant service that parents can use to evaluate their children for possible substance abuse issues and determine if any follow-up action is needed, Cheney said.
Tuesday's incident was the latest in a string of known alcohol abuse and underage drinking incidents in the F-M area.
On March 15, a former Minnesota State University Moorhead student died of alcohol poisoning at his fraternity house.
Early Sunday, a 15-year-old Cavalier, N.D., student was hospitalized for severe intoxication while in Fargo for the state Class B boys basketball tournament. Two juveniles were referred to juvenile court and five other adults under 21 were arrested for drinking that same night.
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"Obviously, in this environment where we've had all these close tragedies ... this is just another indicator of the extent of the problem in our entire region," Cheney said.
It's not uncommon for police to catch minors drinking on weekends, Rasmussen said.
"It's just unusual to have it during the middle of the week in the middle of the day," he said.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Mike Nowatzki at (701) 241-5528
