WEST PARK, Fla. – The Broward Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of 15-year-old Lorvens Julien, who died Wednesday after possibly being exposed to some sort of chemical inside his South Florida home, WPLG-TV reported.
Hazmat crews spent hours at the property Wednesday, but the incident is perplexing to the teen’s uncle, who told WPLG-TV that there weren’t any chemicals inside the home.
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“We don’t have no gas, no nothing, inside,” Jacques Monfiston said.
According to authorities, Lorvens’ father took his son to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Tuesday after the teen was feeling sick. Doctors checked him out and he was ultimately released. But sometime in the overnight hours, the teen fell ill again and was vomiting repeatedly.
“By that time, the boy threw up. When he (ate) something, he threw up, when he drank something, he threw up,” Monfiston said.
Lorvens was rushed back to the hospital, where he died Wednesday morning.
Doctors warned deputies of a strange chemical smell coming from the teen.
Wednesday evening, it was revealed that on Tuesday, Lorvens’ mother sought comfort with her next door neighbor, Andrina Adams.
“With her being here, she said she didn’t know what could have happened, if there could’ve been a chemical in the house,” Adams told Local 10 News. “I didn’t smell anything, and I leave my window open all the time. I didn’t smell anything on her.”
A deputy who later went inside the teen’s home had to be hospitalized after he began to have trouble breathing.
Authorities said a firefighter also suffered a second-degree burn from some kind of chemical.
But after various readings and air samples, investigators determined the home was safe and nothing hazardous was found.
The victim’s uncle said he’s concerned but has no hesitations about going back into the home without definitive answers.
“Yes, I have to because that’s my house,” he said. “I’ve been there since 2009 and we don’t have no chemical inside.”
An investigation is ongoing.