Sweet Sixteen & Utterly Pissed

1. 16-year-old Sophie* attends a gathering at a friend’s house at 4 pm. 
2. Sophie drinks a bottle of vodka while the host parents party elsewhere on the property – not caring what’s happening in their home. 
3. Sophie passes out.
4. Her eyes roll back.
5. Her breathing becomes laboured.
6. Her friends become distressed and wonder if they should ring an ambulance.
7. The host parents order the ‘hindrance’ removed from their property!
8. Sophie’s friends drag her outside, where a mother waits to collect her child at 7 pm. 
9. This concerned parent immediately takes Sophie to hospital in her car.
10. There Sophie has her stomach pumped and is placed under observation for hours.
11. What kind of people are these host parents? 
12. No duty of care for the kids in their home. No supervision. No ambulance. Nothing.
13. Letting children drink so much. At that hour. Unsupervised.
14. Worse, the new secondary supply law that goes live in February doesn't cover BYO.
15. What is this world coming to?!
16. Parents! WAKE UP!

* This story is true. Only the name and photo are changed. Pray I don’t have to do likewise for you.

Naomi Oakley, Founder, Safe Partying Australia.