Mother, son get jail time for drinking party

A Hanover Park mother and son were sentenced Thursday to spend four weekends at DuPage County jail for hosting an underage drinking party that led to a teen's accidental drowning.

Joanne Zagone, 51, and her 22-year-old son, Kenneth Pomella, pleaded guilty Nov. 19 to contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Pomella also admitted guilt to endangering the life of a minor and delivery of alcohol to a minor at the June 17, 2005, party.

In addition to jail time, mother and son each were sentenced to one year of probation. They each must pay $500 in fines and participate in a victim impact panel. Pomella also must complete 100 hours of community service with a anti-drinking group such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

Some 40 to 60 people attended the June 2005 gathering at Zagone's home on the 700 block of Daybreak Lane, including 16-year-old Jonathan Petit of Carol Stream.

Petit, a Glenbard North High School sophomore, never made it home that night. Witnesses last saw him near a retention pond at a nearby park after he was kicked out of the party for roughhousing.

Four days later, divers found his body near the pond's north edge. Jonathan had a blood-alcohol level of .208, more than twice the legal threshold for drivers 21 and older.

Yvonne Petit, Jonathan's mother, read a statement Thursday about the experience, along with Roy Feltson, a childhood friend who accompanied Jonathan to the party.

Both urged DuPage Associate Judge Thomas Riggs to make an example of Zagone and Pomella in his sentencing to prevent similar tragedies.

"I still can't get the thoughts from that weekend out of my head," said Feltson, who detailed months of depression following the party and subsequent search for Petit's body.

"I felt as though I should be gone, too."

The attorneys for both Zagone and Pomella urged Riggs to spare the two from serving jail time, arguing many of the people who attended Pomella's party -- including Feltson and Petit -- weren't invited.

Zagone and Pomella both apologized to the Petit family. They are scheduled to report to the DuPage County jail on Jan. 4.

"There will never be closure," Yvonne Petit said following the sentencing. "Nothing will bring me back my son."