Young people should be able to make some foolish mistakes and move on with their lives, hopefully smarter and wiser. That's the way life is supposed to work. Unfortunately the untimely death of 14-year-old Garrett Quedens is a tragic reminder that this is not always the case.

This young boy, with the assistance of a 19 and 23 year old, got hold of some vodka, drank it and died as a result. His life was cut short and the two young men now face the reality that they are legally and morally responsible for his death.

Garrett was a bright, warm and fun loving teen, by all accounts of his family and friends. He did what many teens sometimes do, that is he made a bad decision but he, unfortunately, paid for it with his life.

The two older youths, Mohammad and Jennings are being charged with providing Garrett with the alcohol and face serious charges. More than that, they will have to live with the knowledge that their actions resulted in the death of a teenager, something that will undoubtedly haunt them forever.

Mohammad was a top athlete at Babylon High School, the same school where Quedens was a freshman, and a member of the Army National Guard. Up until the point that he became part of a plan to place alcohol into the hands of minors, his life was one of apparent commitment and hard work. How he got involved in this incident is confounding.

Nothing can bring back young Garrett, but his death can possibly help save the life of other young people by providing them with an example of just how serious some decisions can be, no matter how simple or innocent they seem at the time. Whether it is using and abusing alcohol or drugs, or allowing yourself to be a willing partner in this type of behavior, the results can be devastating.

Our condolences go out to the Quedens family and the families of Mohammad and Jennings. Each have been touched by a tragedy.