Obituary: Brandon Rice / Artificial marijuana, infection blamed in death of youth, 14
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A Westmoreland County teenager who had been hospitalized since smoking synthetic marijuana in June died Thursday morning.
Brandon Rice, 14, of East Huntingdon, was taken to Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC about June 13, after he told his parents he smoked a type of synthetic marijuana called K2, said his aunt, Kristen Rice.
A week and a half after Brandon went to the hospital, Gov. Tom Corbett signed a bill banning the sale of artificial marijuana. The law went into effect in August.
Autopsy results were still pending Friday night. If the results determine that Brandon died from the drug, it will be the first death in Westmoreland County caused by smoking artificial marijuana, said John Ackerman, a deputy coroner in Westmoreland County.
Ms. Rice described her nephew as a strong, happy child who enjoyed the company of his parents, siblings, aunts and uncles, all of whom kept a vigil near his hospital bed.
For much of his hospital stay, Brandon appeared to be doing well, showing signs of recovery after he underwent a double lung transplant at UPMC Presbyterian Sept. 28, she said.
"He understood everything that was going on," Ms. Rice said. "He couldn't talk back, but he could move his lips."
Brandon's condition deteriorated when he developed an unidentified infection about a week ago. He died surrounded by his family.
Ms. Rice said Brandon would have been in eighth grade had he returned to school this year. He enjoyed football, baseball and playing his Xbox.
Brandon is survived by his parents, Ray and Tonya Rice, older sister Raelynn and younger brother Jayden, as well as grandparents, aunts and uncles.
A visitation for Brandon will be held at the Eugene G. Saloom Funeral Service, 730 W. Main St. in Mount Pleasant, from 1 to 8 p.m. Tuesday. Funeral services will immediately follow visitation.
First Published October 29, 2011 12:00 am
