Police: Gloucester teen used mushrooms, marijuana before drowning

By Steven A. Rosenberg, Globe Staff

GLOUCESTER -- Dylan Hill, the teen whose body was discovered in a cove this weekend, had consumed psychedelic mushrooms and smoked marijuana at his father's house last Saturday before he somehow wandered into Wonson's Cove and drowned, police said today.

City officials said state and Gloucester police have learned that eight Gloucester High School students gathered at the home of Hill's father home on Eastern Point Road in Gloucester last Saturday. At least three students, including Hill, ingested psilocybin mushrooms and also smoked marijuana.

"As a result of those interviews, police are prepared to say that the major contributing factor for the circumstances leading to the victim's death was the ingestion of SCC mushrooms,'' Gloucester police chief Michael Lane said at an afternoon press conference.

"The ingestion of those mushrooms, coupled with the smoking of marijuana afterward, we believe, enhanced the hallucinogenic effects, which led to the events precipitating his death,'' the chief said.

Lane said Hill's behavior became increasingly erratic, adding that Hill went in and out of his house several times. He said most of Hill's friends left the house, although two remained in Hill's upstairs bedroom, Lane said.