Town of Dover--A sad story just got worse.
The apparent drowning death of 15 year-old Austin Sanders could possibly be tied to family problems and substance abuse issues.
On Wednesday afternoon, Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling said the boy's body was discovered earlier in the day by his father in a pond near the family's home. Schmaling also said that the boy's mother, Pauline Sanders, was arrested on a drug charge and for bail jumping. At the time of her son's death, Sanders was out on bond as the result of a pending charge of child abuse.
A criminal complaint filed Thursday against Pauline Sanders fills in some of the blanks.
According to the complaint, the woman apparently has a long-standing substance abuse problem that included abusing alcohol and "huffing" aerosol cans. Over the years, the complaint says, Sander's husband and her two children have had numerous confrontations with her about her problem.
The latest reportedly occurred Monday night, and led to Austin not wanting to go to school the following day, according to the complaint.
The boy apparently took off to the pond Monday night to go fishing, the complaint says.
When he didn't return home, the boy's father went to the pond Tuesday morning, where he found his son's tackle box on shore and his feet sticking out of the water.
"Multiple" bottles of air duster compressed air cans were located in the vicinity of the body, and he'd been holding a can when his father pulled him from the pond, according to the complaint.
The criminal complaint offered no explanation.
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