I'm so sorry for your loss. How long had it been since he fed? Did he ever feed for you? Hatchlings don't have enough body weight to fast as long as adults do, so starvation is a possibility, sorry.
It may have been past time to either assist feed or tube feed*, which is my personal preference. (*I'll be happy to share detailed instructions via PM- just ask.)
I agree with you, that was suspicious- breeders don't usually give away snakes they can sell, so it's quite possible that they already had trouble with him from the start & didn't want to bother. And did you say he was also undersized? Listen, there is also just a "failure to thrive" that can happen, even with snakes that have NO visible abnormalities, size or otherwise. So it's hard to say? It's also possible that the breeder had other losses in the same litter, & considered this one to be more at risk- thus he was a freebie to you.
Could any intervention have saved him? Maybe, maybe not. No way to know. I doubt that a necropsy will show anything, plus they're expensive, must be done soon with the body not frozen, & by an experienced herp vet.
Rest in Peace, Fireball.
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