Family shaken after 8-year-old's suspected alcohol poisoning death

DETROIT (WJBK) - An 8-year-old little boy dies in Detroit.

Jamere Arnold's family believes the child had some kind of alcoholic drink during a party. They rushed him to the hospital but the child, lovingly nicknamed 'Lil Jay' died.

Family friend Donnella Simmons can only imagine the pain that his mother and father are feeling.

"It hurts too much," said Donnella Simmons, a family friend. "It's hard right now but it will get better, just take it one step at a time."

Neighbors who are used to seeing his smiling face are heartbroken to hear they will never see it again.

"Who's watching the baby, that was my first question," said neighbor Valarie Stepps. "Who was watching children and what were you doing?"

Detroit police say Wednesday night the 8-year-old had been visiting his grandmother's home here on Conley Street on the city's east side.

His mother and father were not there at the time. Sources say his grandmother saw Jamere drinking some sort of alcoholic concoction a family friend made.

Sources say Jamere's grandmother at 2 a.m. discovered the little boy foaming at the mouth and called 911.

Police say as rescue crews arrived early Thursday morning they desperately tried to resuscitate the little boy. But Jamere, in cardiac arrest, died at Detroit Children's Hospital of Michigan.

Simmons says that Jamere's father is devastated...

"How can this happen? Why? He's asking himself that every hour of the day," she said. "And it hurts."

The Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office tells FOX 2 they haven't determined Jamere's cause of death yet and must also wait on toxicology results.

Detroit police say right now  child abuse detectives are working with homicide investigators. There are many questions unanswered.

"Were you over celebrating the holiday, just not watching," Stepps said. "Was there too many people around, what was going on?"

Thursday afternoon Jamere's family was too distraught to speak with FOX 2 added that Jamere's heartbroken mother had to be taken to the hospital when she began hyperventilating.

They are now asking everyone to please pray for them.