Log in to WRAL.com with one click using your favorite social network:
OR
Log in using your WRAL.com account:



Wrong email/password combination.

Forgot password?

Register with WRAL.com using your favorite social network:
OR
Register for a WRAL.com account using our web form.

Login Options

8:52 a.m. • 2-12-12

Weather Forecast for Raleigh

  • Today: Clear.
    • Hi: 41° F
  • Mon: Partly Cloudy.
    • Hi: 50° F
  • Tue: Rain.
    • Hi: 53° F

Other Locations

> 7 Day Forecast

Doppler Image

Marketplace Links

Social Links

Main Menu

Posted: June 6, 2008

Tests confirm 12-year-old died of Methadone overdose

e-mail print friendly
12-Year-Old Dies of Suspected Methadone Overdose

[search] Site Search

Methadone generic

DUNN, N.C. — The state medical examiner confimed Friday that Caleb Wayne Bevil's death was caused by methadone.

Caleb, 12, died April 26, at WakeMed in Raleigh, three days after he was found unconscious in his Sampson County home, authorities said.

Sampson County Sheriff Jimmy Thornton reported at the time that Caleb appeared to have ingested methadone pills. The drug is a painkiller that also is used to help heroin addicts break their drug addictions.

Caleb lived with his mother, Tina Lynn Bevil, and her boyfriend, James Hardee, and three siblings.

Capt. Eric Pope, of the Sampson County Sheriff's Office, said Hardee had a prescription for methadone, and authorities were investigating whether it was his pills that Caleb took.

No charges have been filed, but Pope indicated that the results of the autopsy might yield some.

RELATED TOPICS: Sampson County, Raleigh

Copyright 2011 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
e-mail print friendly

16 Comments


WRAL.com welcomes your comments on this story. All comments are moderated prior to publication based on our posting guidelines. Please review them prior to posting and if your message is not approved.

View Comments VIEW ALL 16 COMMENTS

This story is closed for comments. Comments on WRAL.com news stories are accepted and moderated between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Latest Comments
Although this story is slanted to appear that the boyfriend was a drug abuser and taking methadone for that reason, that is not the only reason methadone is prescribed. A person could be taking it for pain control also. Very sad about the little boy. WRAL shouldn't write the article to appear it is definitely due to the boyfriend's drug abuse unless they have facts to back up that claim.

I do not know any of the people involved so I'm only stating that there are other reasons that methadone can be taken.
Click to view my profile 1Moms_View
June 6, 2008 6:14 p.m.
This is a tragedy. Praying for the family and friends.
Meandmytwo
June 6, 2008 3:14 p.m.
The names are slightly different but I am almost 100% sure I know these folks. Work associated hazard I guess you would call it. The child in question comes from a very disturbed family in the sense that by pure definition, could not be more disfunctional! Very sad in deed; no positive adult role models in his life what-so-ever. Seeing what I see at work, he boys destiny was grim. Very grim! May god be with him.
Click to view my profile Winthro
June 6, 2008 1:57 p.m.
I work with middle schoolers everyday and they amaze me and scare me with their knowledge - of everything. We may never know the whole story. And I know that severe chronic pain needs to be treated with powerful drugs. But, that being said, the pills should have a least been locked up. At least we would have some idea the length the child went to to take the pills. It won't make his mother feel any better and the rest of us don't really matter.
Click to view my profile 19tarheel75
June 6, 2008 1:45 p.m.
To me this is no worse than having an unlocked gun in the house.
ncguy
June 6, 2008 1:37 p.m.
View Comments VIEW ALL 16 COMMENTS

Photo Spotlight

more photos

Experian Credit Center

Average Credit Score: 678. See Yours Free!
1. Make sure possible inaccuracies aren't hurting your credit
2. Detect potential identity theft
3. Stay on top of your credit without hurting your score
See your Free Credit Report online in seconds when you sign up for a free 30-day credit monitoring trial!

Multimedia

more
advertisement