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Varoli loses charges on statue of limitations

Bordens look to file civil suit after daughter drowns

LAKE PLACID — Criminal charges related to the drowning of Saige Borden will not be filed in North Elba Town Court, and the case has been closed by the Franklin County District Attorney’s Office. Borden’s parents said they’re ready to file a civil lawsuit.

In December 2017, Camilla Varoli was charged with three misdemeanor counts of unlawfully dealing with a child for allegedly providing alcohol to minors while at her parents’ property, Camp Gordon. However, the case was dismissed from village court Nov. 12, when it was discovered that the alleged crime actually took place in the town of North Elba.

Franklin County Assistant DA David Hayes said the time since the alleged crimes were committed has surpassed the statute of limitations on misdemeanors and the county chose not to file in North Elba.

“Those charges were specifically related to giving alcohol to underage people,” he said in a phone interview Wednesday. “It was a very limited scope for this case.”

Hayes said there is a possibility the Essex County District Attorney’s Office could pick up the case.

The case was delayed multiple times — once when Varoli’s attorney, Joe Brennan, suffered health issues and could not provide legal assistance, and the time in November when the charges were incorrectly filed in village court.

In the early hours of May 12, 2017, Borden, 20, drowned after the canoe she was in tipped, sending her and two friends, Varoli and Jonni Springer, into the cold waters of Lake Placid. Varoli and Springer made it to shore, but Borden didn’t. There were no life jackets on board, and the three had been drinking and taking recreational drugs in the hours leading up to the incident, according to an autopsy report from the Franklin County Coroner’s office and Adirondack Health, which cited police reports.

Borden was transported to Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake, and after four hours of going in and out of normal cardiac rhythm, resuscitation was terminated and she was pronounced dead.

Seven months later, state police charged Varoli with unlawfully dealing with a child and petit larceny for allegedly purchasing alcohol with a stolen credit card belonging to Borden’s mother Suzanne. In September 2018, six jurors in town court found Varoli not guilty of petit larceny.

“I don’t understand how they messed up with the arrest,” Suzanne said in a phone interview Wednesday. “It took seven months to arrest (Varoli), yet they did it in the wrong jurisdiction. And when they realized the mistake, they should’ve charged her again.

“The state messed up, and she’s getting off scot-free because of the state mess up, which is not right.”

Suzanne said she is meeting with her personal lawyer soon to move ahead with a civil lawsuit.

“We’re going after numerous people — Camilla, Jonni, Camilla’s parents, the state.”

The Enterprise reached out to Varoli on Facebook, but did not receive a response before publication.

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