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Felony charges follow alcohol-related death

TREVOR MAXWELL

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Staff Writer

Two young men face felony charges in connection with the alcohol-related death of a University of Maine soccer player.

Adam Baxter, 19, died in the early morning hours of Nov. 24 in the basement of a home on Forest Avenue in Portland. Baxter, a native of England, was on break from school and was drinking with four friends. The cause of death was choking, as Baxter apparently lost consciousness and breathed in vomit.

On Friday, a Cumberland County grand jury indicted Anthony Lord, 21, and Sean Michael Meehan, 19, said District Attorney Stephanie Anderson.

Lord was charged with furnishing liquor to a minor, resulting in death. He also was charged with three misdemeanor counts of furnishing liquor, to the other three minors at the home.

Meehan, whose parents own the house on Forest Avenue, was charged with furnishing a place for minors to consume liquor, resulting in death. Meehan also faces three misdemeanor counts of furnishing a place to consume liquor.

The felony charges are punishable by as much as five years in prison; the misdemeanors carry a maximum of one year for each count.

Portland police investigated the case. Lord and Meehan have not been arrested; they will receive summonses to appear in court.

Anderson said Lord bought bottles of rum and vodka, and Meehan hosted the basement party at his parents' house.

''This just underscores how dangerous it is for minors to consume alcohol,'' Anderson said.

Recent studies have shown that teenagers are at greater risk than older people for brain damage and death from drinking alcohol, Anderson said.

''It is another indication of how parents need to be careful,'' she said.

Meehan's father apparently was concerned that his son and his friends would be drinking, warned them not to drink, and even inspected a backpack that one of them brought into the house, Anderson said.

The parents are not liable and will not be prosecuted, she said.

Baxter was from Skegness, England, and was a freshman at the UMaine. He lived at Knox Hall on the Orono campus, and was majoring in kenesiology and physical education.

He was a promising midfielder on the soccer team, named to the 2007 America East All-Rookie team.

Meehan was a teammate of Baxter's at UMaine, and Lord also was a student there. Both were suspended at some point during the fall semester, Anderson said.

UMaine spokesman Joe Carr said he could not comment on any disciplinary action against the students.

The death shocked and saddened students in Orono, said Dean of Students Robert Dana. He said many students spoke with grief counselors and attended a large memorial service.

Four of Baxter's soccer teammates and coach Pat Laughlin traveled to England for a celebration of Baxter's life on Dec. 12. ''Many of the team members wanted to make a statement and show solidarity with the family,'' Dana said.

He said Baxter's death has challenged students to consider the dangers of drinking, and reminded friends that they need to look after each other.

''Young people don't believe anything horrible can happen,'' Dana said. ''This had a big impact on kids, looking at the use of alcohol.''

Staff Writer Trevor Maxwell can be contacted at 791-6451 or at:

tmaxwell@pressherald.com