Teen dead after fall at party

Elliot Poupouare. Photo / Supplied

A teenager has died at a party after slipping on the bathroom floor and knocking his head.

Friends at the party tried in vain to resuscitate Western Springs College student Elliot Poupouare. Elliot, who was due to turn 18 in a month, was pronounced dead at 11pm on Friday.

Elliot's father Rob Poupouare was still in shock last night. "He's going to be terribly missed. He's my son, I don't know how to express anything about that right now.

"This whole thing is so tragic for us. We are totally devastated. We are coming to grips with his loss, and I don't think we are there yet. It's just shocking."

The extended family gathered yesterday at the Westmere home where Elliot lived with his father, mother Sue, and sisters Katy and Rachel. Elliot's girlfriend Sophie joined the family in mourning.

"She's devastated as well," said Poupouare.

Elliot played rugby for his school, was in the sports academy and had passed his diving certificate.

The party was at the Fife St home of Simon Beck, who last night said he wanted to speak to Elliot's family before making any comment.

The aftermath of the accident was chronicled online by a teenager named Rebecca, who was watching from her window. It was not until 12 hours after Elliot's death that she discovered she knew Elliot

Rebecca first posted on TradeMe at 11.42pm that media were outside her house. "No one else is up so I turn to you guys to keep me company. Very, very scary."

A few minutes later, she updated: "A couple just pulled up and ran into the house. Really hoping no one's seriously hurt (but cops keep turning up)." Then at 12.45am, she wrote: "Police all still outside. I'm heading to bed now, will see what's happening in the morning."

At 11.57am yesterday she wrote: "A 17-year-old boy died there last night but it wasn't a homicide. I don't think I should say too much more because it's so early. But he was one of my sister's best friends. So sad."

Western Springs College principal Ken Havill, who spoke with Elliot's parents yesterday, said the teenager displayed a natural intellectual curiosity and was interested in ideas.

"He was a personable, pleasant young man, popular with his peers and able to relate to a range of people," he said. "He was a competitive individual who was notably committed to the principles of fair play and the ethics of sportsmanship."

Havill said he had called a meeting today to plan for dealing with student grief.

"There will be a large number of distressed students. And it's exam week."

Distraught friends who gathered at a neighbour's house said there were around 20 teenagers at the Becks' home. They said Elliot had slipped in the bathroom and struck his head on the shower cubicle. They said the 17-year-old was not drunk when he fell but had been drinking.

St John Ambulance paramedics tried for almost an hour to resuscitate him.