A Roslyn Heights youth died last Tuesday after being electrocuted by a high voltage wire near his home on Cherry Tree Lane.

Ten-year-old Gregory Abatemarco was pronounced dead at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, July 14 by doctors at the Nassau County Medical Center in East Meadow. Doctors listed electrocution as the cause of death.

On Monday morning, the youth was electrocuted by contact with a high voltage cable and sent to the medical center where he was immediately listed in very critical condition. On Tuesday, Gregory's condition was officially changed to extremely critical before he passed away that evening. Hospital spokeswoman Shelley Lotenberg said over 90 percent of the youth's body was covered with second and third degree burns.

The accident occurred when Gregory was playing with friends near his front yard where, according to published reports, he was waiting to go to the beach with another friend.

According to Nassau County police reports, the youth "was swinging what appeared to be a cord with a doorknob attached to it in the air." Gregory was electrocuted when the doorknob came into contact with a high tension wire placed overhead a grassy area that runs along the Long Island Rail Road on Cherry Tree Lane.

When the doorknob touched the wire, it created a loud explosion which caught the attention of the surrounding neighbors. Also according to published reports, several neighbors attempted to administer first aid treatment to the youth before he was rushed to the East Meadow medical center.

LILCO power lines run along the same poles as telephone and cable wires. Power lines, which vary in voltage, run at the top of the poles with cable and telephone wires running at the bottom. The power lines are the high voltage wires. In this tragedy, the doorknob apparently touched the highest voltage wire on the line. With each billing, LILCO officials attach literature urging their customers never to touch or try and move any fallen power lines.

Gregory was a rising fifth grade student at Meadow Drive Elementary School in Albertson. His older brother also attended the school before graduating on to Lutheran School in Oyster Bay.

"He was well loved by the staff and students," said Meadow Drive Principal Samuel Carpentier. "He was a very happy-go-lucky boy, always full of life. We're deeply saddened.

"We have a very wonderful community in the sense that everyone comes together and helps each other out," Mr. Carpentier continued. "This is evident in a time like this. The school is not in session, but a cadre of staff and professional people have been running bereavement groups." He explained that even parents are not too sure of what to say to their youngsters when a tragedy this close to home occurs.