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A spirit that is not afraid

Goodner autopsy report released

The cause of Mary Beth Goodner's death March 17 was positional asphyxia, according to a report by the Office of the Medical Examiner in Marathon, Fla.

The report said the death was accidental and acute ethanol intoxication was a contributing factor.

According to the report, Goodner fell down a flight of stairs at Pelican Landing Resort in Key West, Fla., and landed in a position that restricted the flow of oxygen to her brain.

District 16 medical examiner E. Hunt Scheuerman said Goodner's blood alcohol content was .266 percent.

Scheuerman said such accidents are not common.

"I think to expect college students to be abstinent (from drinking) on Spring Break is unrealistic," Scheuerman said, "but if they are going to drink, they should try to drink in moderation, and they should definitely have a buddy system."

Goodner, 22, was a senior in elementary education from Opelika. She attended Lee-Scott Academy in Auburn.

She was active in Project Uplift and her sorority, Kappa Delta.


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