Montgomery County homeowners hosting party night of Navid Sepehri's death won't be charged

BETHESDA, Md. - The homeowners who hosted a party in Montgomery County will not be charged after one of the teen's attending the gathering was later found dead in a nearby ravine.

Montgomery County police announced the homeowners on Elgin Lane in Bethesda were found to have violated no laws the evening of Dec. 9.

Navid Sepehri, a 17-year-old senior at Walt Whitman High School, was attending what officials described as an "underage drinking party" when he walked away on his own. He was later found dead 18 hours later by his father in a nearby ravine. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner stated Navid Sepehri's cause of death was acute alcohol intoxication complicated by drowning and hypothermia.

Detectives said there was no indication that the homeowners provided alcohol to underage people attending the party. Authorities also said the homeowners' statement that they told party goers that no alcohol was allowed after learning minors had brought alcohol to their home was backed up by at least one attendee.

Authorities also revealed on Monday that Navid Sepehri was found with a bottle of vodka and take fake IDs from Pennsylvania that claimed he was of drinking age. Detectives said the bottle of alcohol was purchased from a store outside of Montgomery County, but they were not certain how the teen came in possession of it.

Officials said officers spoke to Navid Sepehri and his friends as they were leaving the party and should have done more to help. Questions still lingered about when his missing report was filed.

Navid Sepehri's father Farshid Sepehri said he went to the police at about 3 a.m., but an official report wasn't filed until later that morning. His father found him dead in a ravine near Bannockburn Swimming Club at about 5 p.m.

Police stated again that the actions of their officers were under review. Officials said they would also make the body-camera video of their interaction with the teen that night available to Navid Sepehri's family and their legal counsel.