James Kings wants answers. He wants to know how his 17-year-old son, James Dante Kings, ended up dead on an Austin freeway early Friday, while on a field trip with other students from Dallas' arts magnet school.

James Dante Kings

Dallas ISD officials wouldn't comment on the incident Monday, nor would parents of some students on the trip. And Austin police, who are investigating the death, said Monday that they have no new leads.

But Mr. Kings is doing his own research, and he doesn't like what he's hearing.

Based on his talk with a student who was socializing with James and other students in a hotel room the night of the death, Mr. Kings believes his son may have unknowingly been slipped a drug. He said he is awaiting results of a toxicology report and the Austin police investigation to find out what happened.

"Something went on in that room," said Mr. Kings, who is assistant pastor of music at Mount Hebron Missionary Baptist Church in Garland.

Mr. Kings said the student told him James left the hotel room about 2 a.m. and that a school chaperone tried to stop him from leaving the hotel, but James fled. His body was discovered by a motorist about 2:15 a.m. Friday on Interstate 35 near the University of Texas at Austin campus.

James, a percussionist and senior at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, was among two dozen music students on the three-day trip that began Wednesday with a performance in Houston. The group played in Austin at the Capitol on Thursday and was scheduled for a concert Friday. Four parents and two teachers also made the trip.

Mr. Kings said he wants to shine a light on weaknesses in the way the field trip was conducted to prevent another death. He believes the hotel where the students stayed wasn't appropriate because each room opened to a parking lot. He also said more supervision was needed that night and wonders why his son was able to visit classmates in another room after a midnight curfew.

"It's just a really strange set of circumstances; we're really just trying to piece it together," Mr. Kings said.

Dallas ISD spokesman Jon Dahlander would not address Mr. Kings' allegations.

"It would be completely inappropriate to comment any further while the police investigation continues," Mr. Dahlander said. "Our thoughts and prayers are still with James' family, his friends and the staff at Booker T."

Principal Ruth Woodward said only that "James Kings was an outstanding, hardworking, talented student. Passionate about his music. He was a positive part of the school community, everyone loved him and he will be greatly missed."

Austin police spokesman Richard Stresing said Monday that the department hasn't determined why James was on the freeway. One problem, Sgt. Stresing said, is that the students on the trip are now back in Dallas. He said it's possible someone from his department will make a trip to Dallas to interview witnesses.

Some parents whose children attended the trip didn't want to comment Monday on James' death.

Bianca McClure, a student on the trip, wanted to focus only on the kind of person James was. She said he came off as shy but was very outgoing with people he knew.

"He was real cool," said Bianca, 17. "He was just such a talented person."

James' MySpace page had at least 50 messages Monday afternoon from friends offering condolences. One note simply read: "Love and miss you man."