Iowa teen found dead after running away over fight with parents over cellphone
Article via NBCNews
“At this time, there is no evidence or information that indicates criminal activity is connected to this,” according to a statement by Marshalltown police.
A 13-year-old Iowa boy who ran away after his parents took away his cellphone was found dead not far from his home, police said Monday.
Corey Brown of Marshalltown, Iowa, hadn’t been seen since Tuesday night before searchers discovered his body in a “secluded area” of town at about 10:45 a.m. CT (11:45 a.m. ET) on Sunday, according to a police statement.
The spot where Corey was found was less than 1.5 miles away from the boy’s home, Marshalltown Police Chief Mike Tupper told NBC News on Monday.
“At this time, there is no evidence or information that indicates criminal activity is connected to this,” according to a statement by Marshalltown police. “However, this is still an active investigation and all possible scenarios will be thoroughly investigated.”
It wasn’t immediately clear if Corey was familiar with the area where he had been found.
“We believe we will be able to accurately account for his steps and whereabouts,” he said.
Tupper told reporters at a press conference Thursday night that Corey left home after the boy got into a spat his parents that ended with them taking away his cellphone.
“Anyone with kids has had discussions with their children about household rules,” Tupper said on Monday. “This was a typical parent-teenager interaction. No anger. Nothing extraordinary.”
Weather complicated the search for Corey, as the high temperature never got above 29 degrees while he was missing. The low over those four-and-a-half days bottomed out at -9 degrees on Friday morning.
More than 6 inches of snow fell on Marshalltown, which is about 50 miles northwest of Des Moines, on Tuesday and Wednesday.
An autopsy had yet to be performed by Monday morning. When surveillance cameras spotted Corey leaving home on Tuesday night, he was wearing a Seattle Seahawks knit cap, a red shirt, black pants, gray tennis shoes and lime green coat.
“He was wearing the same clothes he left home in,” Tupper said of Corey’s condition when he was found.