Justin Benoist | Frankie Nicolai III

A jury ruled Wednesday that a school district was negligent, but not responsible, for the alcohol-poisoning deaths of two 11-year-old boys who skipped class and died after drinking half a gallon of vodka.

Jurors awarded no damages to the parents of Justin Benoist and Frankie Nicolai III, who sued the Ronan School District, alleging officials failed to notify them the boys had left school on Feb. 27, 2004.

Frankie, whose blood-alcohol level was 0.50 percent, died of alcohol poisoning, while Justin died of a combination of alcohol poisoning and hypothermia.