EDMONTON — A second teenager has died after he and his girlfriend were found unconscious in an idling vehicle in central Alberta.
Mounties found the two teens early last Thursday in Drayton Valley while patrolling an area on an unrelated call.
Driver Gage Bogart, 17, and Shaina Lynn Ridenour, 16, were found unconscious in the car. Ridenour was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital, while Bogart died in an Edmonton hospital late on Christmas Day.
Bogart’s grandfather, Garry Bogart, said Gage was a “leader of his pack” who always looked out for the underdog.
“He was just one of those kids who stood out,” he said, noting the teen played hockey in the winter and was involved in dirt biking in the summer.
Ridenour was described in an online obituary as a “spunky ray of sunshine whose biggest smile could light up a room.” It also noted she was a lover of animals and sports, particularly rugby.
A celebration of her life was being held in Drayton Valley on Wednesday.
When the teens were found last week, RCMP said there was a strong odour of exhaust fumes in the vehicle.
A mechanical inspection was set for Wednesday.
“Basically, he’s going to be doing an examination of the mechanical fitness of the vehicle,” said Cpl. Chris Warren. “The mechanical inspection may show something that would give us a causal factor.
“It may not but, at this point in the investigation, there is nothing otherwise to tell us that this is anything but a tragedy.”
Garry Bogart said he expects the inspection will show the car was leaking exhaust.
“You watch a child grow from diapers to teenagers in so many things that you can remember, but then it’s all taken away from something stupid like that,” he said.