Va. Beach woman looks for answers in son’s death

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) — A Virginia Beach woman is looking for answers in the death of her 19-year-old son during a study program in Peru.

The Virginian- Pilot (http://bit.ly/WITvoc) reports Damion Wilkins was on an eight-day medical study course through a private Peruvian organization, the Tropical Pathology and Infectious Disease Association.

Wilkins’ mother, Richelle Dabney, says the association’s founder told her July 15 that her son fell during a hike in the jungle. Dabney says she was told efforts to revive her son were unsuccessful.

Wilkins was a junior at Old Dominion University. His funeral is set for Monday in Norfolk.

Dabney says her son passed a physical exam before he left for Peru. She says she’ll seek more information about his death and work to prevent deaths of other students who study abroad.

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Information from: The Virginian-Pilot, http://pilotonline.com

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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