Amanda Vaughan
Northern News Services
Published Friday, January 4, 2008

YELLOWKNIFE - Police say a 16-year-old boy found intoxicated and partially dressed on Frame Lake shortly after the city's New Year's Eve fireworks display is lucky to be alive.

"He is a very lucky young man," said RCMP Const. Roxanne Dreilich.

The teen was spotted by two people on their way back from watching the fireworks show, who alerted police.

Dreilich said that on most nights of the year, there probably would not have been anyone around to see him.

The RCMP received the report of partially dressed youth at around 9:45 p.m. on Dec. 31. She said that when the police found the boy, he was partially conscious, and had undone his coat and begun to remove his pants.

"This is typical of hypothermia, when it sets in, the person can begin to feel hot and start to undress," she said.

The boy appeared to be intoxicated, said Dreilich. He was taken to Stanton Territorial Hospital for treatment for frostbite and hypothermia. The RCMP had not received an update to his condition as of press time.

Dreilich said that the police do not run into situations of advanced hypothermia within city limits as much as one might expect in such a cold climate. She credits the fact that residents are very aware of the dangers the cold can present in the territory and are pretty quick to report a person in distress.

The RCMP did not yet know how the boy got into the situation they found him in. Dreilich said that the incident is still under investigation.