×

Misdemeanors charged in Saige Borden drowning case

Saige Borden (Photo provided)

LAKE PLACID — After a seven-month investigation, misdemeanor charges have been filed against two people who were among the last to see Saige Borden before her death May 12.

State police charged Matthew Pilawa, 29, of Lake Placid with criminal nuisance in the second degree for allowing underage consumption of alcohol and drug use to take place at his home in the village of Lake Placid the night before Borden drowned. He was released with an appearance ticket for the Lake Placid village court.

Camilla Varoli, 19, of Lake Placid was charged with three counts of unlawfully dealing with a child in the first degree, a misdemeanor for allegedly giving alcohol to three people under the age of 21. Borden was one of those three, police said. Varoli was also charged with petit larceny, also a misdemeanor, for purchasing alcohol with a stolen credit card belonging to a 48-year-old woman. She was released with appearance tickets for the Lake Placid village court.

“It was my credit card she used,” said Saige Borden’s mother, Suzanne Borden.

Saige’s father, Rob Borden, said Varoli used the credit card to buy wine and Pabst Blue Ribbon beer.

Suzanne Butler Borden and her husband Rob Borden stand June 1 behind the bar of the Lobster Reef, an unfinished restaurant on Main Street in downtown Lake Placid that Rob planned to open with their daughter Saige, until she died of drowning on May 12. They plan to open it anyway, in honor of her. (Enterprise photo — Antonio Olivero)

Saige drowned after the boat she and two other people were in capsized on Lake Placid.

Saige’s parents were shocked by the news of these charges. Rob said the chief investigator on the case told him no charges would be filed and that the case is closed.

“State police have dragged it out and dragged it out, and they have not done a full investigation,” Rob said.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

Starting at $4.75/week.

Subscribe Today