Cassandra Patredis, 17, of O'Fallon has been identified as the teenager pronounced dead after she was found unconscious at a party on the Morse Mill Hotel grounds on Saturday (May 2), authorities report.
The death is under investigation, but foul play is not suspected, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office reported.
Deputies arrived at the hotel in the 8800 block of Old Morse Mill Spur Road in Morse Mill at 9:20 p.m., after getting a complaint about the outdoor party, which included a disc jockey.
When deputies arrived, they found several hundred people on the grounds and were told a woman had passed out and needed help, the report said.
Authorities found the young woman behind the hotel, unconscious and not breathing, the report said.
Deputies performed CPR, and emergency medical personnel transported the woman to an area hospital where she was pronounced dead shortly after arriving, according to the report.
The Jefferson County Medical Examiner’s Office is investigating to determine the cause of death, the report said.
Other partygoers left safely, and there were no arrests, said Capt. Ron Arnhart of the Sheriff’s Office.
Another party was held at the Morse Mill Hotel the night before and there were no arrests then either, Arnhart said.
Patrick Sheehan, owner of the Morse Mill Hotel, which is in west Jefferson County, said he was upset about the young woman’s death.
Sheehan said an event coordinator had rented the campgrounds for the party, to which tickets were sold, and that the hotel was locked.
Safety precautions were in place for the two-night party, including10 security guards and two sobriety checkpoints, he said.
No alcohol was sold at the event, but people were allowed to bring in alcohol. Attendees were required to show proof of their age at the entrance, and while minors were allowed in, they were given wristbands identifying them as such.
Sheehan said he believed the girl who died had a wristband identifying her as a minor.
He said the DJ was set up on the hotel’s deck and that the teenager collapsed in the hotel’s courtyard.
Arnhart said the event required a permit, and since organizers did not have one, the matter will be heard before the Jefferson County Municipal Court.
Sheehan said he will not allow any more late-night events with music on the hotel grounds.