Teen who drank nine litres of wine 'absconded' from hospital

The teen was taken to to Middlemore Hospital, bit fled after a doctor had seen him. File photo / NZ Herald

A teenager who police said drank nine litres of wine before being found unconscious fled from hospital after he was seen by a doctor.

The teen was believed to be drinking at home before being found unconscious on the ground on Leyton Way, near Westfield Manukau City. It is thought the boy was waiting for a bus.

Two vehicles - a rapid response unit and an ambulance - went to the scene where the boy was found in a serious condition and transported to Middlemore Hospital, a St John Ambulance spokesperson said.

Yesterday, a spokeswoman from the hospital said the boy had "absconded" after he was seen by a doctor in the emergency department.

Manukau Police tweeted the 16-year-old drank nine litres of wine, but the tweet has since been deleted.

Senior Sergeant Tony Curry said the boy "was found drunk in the street and was taken to Middlemore Hospital for detox".

"The young fella was drunk. I don't know the volume he had been drinking and I think the last time we heard, he had been drinking at home," said Mr Curry.

Police said a friend of the drunk teen had advised police and ambulance officers as to how much his friend had consumed at his Manurewa home prior to getting on a bus to Manukau.

Nine litres is the equivalent of 12 standard 750ml bottles of wine.