Jun 23, 2006 2:11 pm US/Eastern
Teens Get 2nd Chance For Magical Prom Night
ANNANDALE (CBS/AP) ―
New Jersey teens unfairly booted from their prom are being treated to a second party tonight sponsored by a local radio station.
For North Hunterdon High School sweethearts Ashley Sandorse and Dan Armellino, prom was supposed to be a night to remember.
Instead, they want nothing more than to forget.
"There's just awful memories left of that day," Sandorse said. "Nothing good came of that night."
The couple was among 12 friends sharing a table at last Friday's prom at the Bridgewater Marriott. Tara Severino said they'd been there about two hours, when school officials pulled them off the dance floor.
"They said they found a water bottle of alcohol under our table so everyone at the table had to wait for their parents to come and get us and we had to go to the hospital and get a blood test," Severino said.
The teens vehemently denied they'd been drinking, but they went to the hospital for the blood tests to prove it.
They said all 12 tests came back negative.
"We couldn't make it back to the prom, by that time it was over, ruined, completely ruined," Sandorse said.
"They should have had measures to get into the prom so there was no alcohol in there in the first place," said Severino. "We could have had breathalyzers."
North Hunterdon's principal only said Tuesday the matter is under investigation.
"The incident was handled by following established district policy for reasonable suspicion," Michael Hughes said.
As for the water bottle of alcohol, the teens said they don't know whom it belonged to. Parents are also furious and are demanding the school reimburse them the cost of the prom, which in some cases cost more than $1,000, including ticket, dress and hotel rooms.
(© 2006 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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