Teens remembered at East Bay memorial

GIBSONTON (FOX 13) - East Bay High School students gathered Wednesday night to remember the lives of two classmates they lost, a freshman and a senior killed by carbon monoxide poisoning.

Emotions are still high, understandably so, after losing two young people so suddenly: 14-year-old Emily Sabow and 17-year-old Dorian Gomez Poehlamnn.

It's not at all how any student would picture their Christmas break, saying goodbye to two of their own.
From the red cups spelling their initials on a school fence to the flickering candles at Wednesday's vigil, hundreds filled the campus with memories of their classmate.

The teens were found dead in a St. Petersburg garage Monday morning at Dorian's mother's home.

Police say they'd parked an SUV inside, closed the garage door, but kept the engine running. They were overcome by the carbon monoxide.

Despite the circumstances of their death, investigators say it appears to be "strictly accidental."

"It's an accident. It's a tragedy," said Assistant Chief Jim Previtera on Monday. "There are just not a lot of words and certainly for everyone out here today, the emotion is not lost on us. It's sad."

Students are taking it hard. They don't want to talk about it. The pain is still very raw. For now, they are leaning heavily on each other.

In the center of their circle were candles in the shape of a heart, pictures showing Emily's beaming smile, and baseballs, which symbolize Dorian's passion.

Students say it's a reminder that life is precious. At a time when teenagers are all too often divided, They're using Emily and Dorian's lives as a reason to stick together.

Dorian will be laid to rest on Saturday in St. Pete. Emily's memorial service is next Monday in Gibsonton.