King's College not aware of links in deaths

Published: 8:10AM Tuesday May 18, 2010 Source: ONE News

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Auckland's King's College says it's not aware of any connection between three student deaths in as many months.

A pupil is dead after an incident on an Auckland overbridge on the weekend, the second death of a student from the school in just over a week and the third since February.

Year 11 pupil Michael Treffers, 15, was admitted to Auckland City Hospital in a critical condition after the incident on the Market Rd overbridge on the Southern Motorway about 10.30pm on Sunday, the New Zealand Herald reported.

His life support was turned off yesterday.

A Ministry of Education trauma team was at the decile-10 Otahuhu school yesterday.

James Webster, 16, died after a drinking a bottle of vodka on May 8.

William Thode, 15, died in his sleep at the boarding school in February from a rare viral heart infection.

Headmaster Bradley Fenner told the Herald the school did not know what led to Michael's death.

"We are not aware of there being any connection or direct link with the other boys' deaths."

A special assembly was held yesterday and staff and students visited Michael in hospital.

Michael did not appear to be having problems at school, and was quite popular, Fenner said.

He was doing well academically and played waterpolo and rugby.

The Ministry of Education trauma team was working with staff to put support structures in place and identify the students who would be most affected by Michael's death, Fenner said.

Students were also given a letter about the matter to take home to their parents.

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