NEW CARLISLE, Ind. -- Searchers found the body of a 15-year-old boy in a wooded area near an elementary school just two days after he vanished while walking in his hometown.
Volunteers found Chad Hultgren's body about 6:30 p.m. Monday near Olive Elementary School. The New Carlisle High School sophomore was last seen Saturday evening walking in the town of about 1,600 people 13 miles west of South Bend."This is a small town," said New Carlisle Town Marshal Larry Brown. "We've never had anything like this happen here."
Hundreds of volunteers met at the school early Monday evening and split up into groups to search the nearby woods. One of the teams found his body about 20 minutes later. Police at the scene did not release details about his death and did not say whether foul play was suspected. An autopsy was expected to be conducted this week.
Indiana State Police were investigating the boy's death. Mike Young, a neighbor, asked the crowd to go home and pray for Hultgren's family."We're in complete shock," Young said. "We were praying and hoping that he was going to be found in someone's basement like a confused teenager might. This is the worst possible news."The family had stayed behind to answer the phone in case anything happened.
Hultgren's stepfather, Ron Colpitts, said the boy was headed to a friend's house Saturday but never made the visit because the friend was not home. Jon Brown, 16, said he had spoken with Chad Saturday morning."He didn't sound distressed," he said. "He sounded like himself."
New Details:
Missing Teen Committed Suicide
The St. Joesph County Coroner confirmed Tuesday afternoon that 15-year-old Chad Hultgren died from a self-inflicted gun shot wound to the head.
Hultgren was last seen Saturday evening. He was supposed to be coming home from a friend's house. His body was found Monday e
vening in a wooded area less than a half-mile from his home.
The teen was a sophomore at New Prairie High where educators and students are grieving.
"There are about 25 counselors here between the schools and local churches. The feeling is sadness. We're sad, we're working with the students as they are in need," New Prairie High School Principal Clara Clarke said.
The coroner said they won't know for at least 10 days if Hultgren had any kind of drugs or alcohol in his system.
Hultgren was last seen Saturday evening. He was supposed to be coming home from a friend's house. His body was found Monday e
vening in a wooded area less than a half-mile from his home.The teen was a sophomore at New Prairie High where educators and students are grieving.
"There are about 25 counselors here between the schools and local churches. The feeling is sadness. We're sad, we're working with the students as they are in need," New Prairie High School Principal Clara Clarke said.
The coroner said they won't know for at least 10 days if Hultgren had any kind of drugs or alcohol in his system.
No comments:
Post a Comment