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Nebraskan Convicted in Frigid Death of Teen Gets Probation

Dakota McDonald
Dakota McDonald

FREMONT, Neb. (AP) — A 22-year-old Omaha man has been given probation for his role in the death of a Fremont teen who was found outside in the bitter cold last fall.

Dakota McDonald was sentenced on Monday to 30 months of probation and must complete 120 hours of community service. He’d pleaded no contest and was convicted of a misdemeanor charge after making a deal with prosecutors, who lowered a felony charge of procuring alcohol for a minor that resulted in death.

Prosecutors say McDonald bought the alcohol that 16-year-old Jaime Valdez consumed before his death. A city worker found Valdez on the morning of Nov. 16, when the wind child was minus 16.

Authorities determined that Valdez died from hypothermia associated with acute ethanol intoxication.

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