Boy’s death shocks school

Angelique Flores

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- Twelve-year-old Tyler Pinnick was a good student.

Like other children his age, he played sports, bleached his hair and even

helped out in the school cafeteria. Like other children his age, he may

have been curious about drugs.

And that curiosity could have cost the sixth-grader his life.

Tyler died early Sunday morning at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in

Newport Beach.

The suspected cause of death is inhaling aerosol fumes, also known as

“huffing,” said Lt. Chuck Thomas of the Huntington Beach Police

Department. An aerosol can of air freshener was found near the boy’s

body.

Tyler’s great-grandmother found him unconscious in a locked bathroom at

her Antigua Lane home Saturday night. Paramedics could not resuscitate

the boy, and he was taken to the hospital, where he died hours later.

Students and faculty at Vista View Middle School, where Tyler attended,

are still shocked that the boy would get involved in drugs.

“I didn’t know he was doing it,” said Kylie Gerber, 14, an eighth-grader

who befriended Tyler.

Tyler earned good grades and stayed out of trouble, said Alex Hickerson,

14, an eighth-grader and Tyler’s neighbor. The teen said emotions at the

school have run high since the death.

“A lot of people who didn’t even know him here were just breaking down

and bawling about it,” Alex said.

Students have shown up to school wearing “We Love Tyler” T-shirts.

Diana Dominesey, the lunch lady known to students as “Mrs. D.,” had known

Tyler since elementary school. She remembers talking to the boy about the

World Wrestling Federation when he would volunteer to help her set up for

lunch.

“He wasn’t too cool to be helpful,” she said.

Unfortunately, even good kids get involved with drugs -- usually

alcohol, marijuana, tobacco and inhalants, said Officer Dave Humphreys, a

DARE officer from the Huntington Beach Police Department who has been

working with students at Vista View for two years.

Physical symptoms of drug use include a staggering walk, lethargy and a

sluggish pupil reaction, he said. Because aerosol cans are household

items, concerned parents may look for bags, rags and unusual odors in the

bedroom or garage as possible clues to drug use.

Though drug use usually occurs among troubled youth, some children may

experiment out of curiosity, Humphreys said.

“[Huffing] is a new trend,” Humphreys said.

It’s a trend that has parents terrified.

“I know to look for the obvious with pot and coke, but huffing, I know

nothing about,” said Joann Rash, a parent at Vista View.

The school has brought additional psychologists and counselors to help

the children through their grief and will consider additional drug

education.

“Once we get over the initial shock, we need to do what we can to educate

and reeducate the kids,” said Kathy Bihr, principal at Vista View Middle

School.

Tyler’s family would also like to boost education on drug use and have

asked the school to make a donation to DARE.

Speaking with local children who learned about Tyler’s death, Humphreys

noticed that many of the students are absorbing the lessons of the

program through the tragedy.

“They see that things do happen close to home,” he said.

A memorial service was to be held Wednesday night at the United Methodist

Church.