I feel for your friend, but I have to agree with this. I've got little ones less than 4 months old that size. Unfortunately, without some sort of health guarantee or similar from the seller/breeder there's little you can do. Is a necropsy planned? Beyond openly conversing with the seller and breeder, you could also post on the BOI and various FB inquiry groups. If this person is passing off unhealthy snakes, potential buyers should be warned.