A body found over the weekend on a small island in the L.A. River is believed to be that of a 14-year-old boy who went missing after school on the day a powerful storm hit the area, authorities said.
Elias Rodriguez was last seen around 1 p.m. on Feb. 17, 2017. He is seen in a picture released by LAPD.
The body was found by a volunteer about 1 p.m. Saturday along a section of the river in Los Feliz near the 5 Freeway, the Los Angeles Police Department reported. Police said the recovered body was badly battered from traveling down the canal through rushing water, where currents reached up to 70 mph.
Officials responded to the L.A. River on Feb. 25, 2017 to recover a body found on a small island believed to be that of missing 14-year-old Elias Rodriguez. (Credit: KTLA)
Elias Rodriguez was last seen walking home from the Cesar E. Chavez Learning Academies, located in the 1000 block of Arroyo Street in San Fernando, on Feb. 17, police said. He called his mom and left a message on her cell phone, letting her know he was on his way to his home in Sylmar but he never made it, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Authorities believe Rodriguez was swept away by rising waters near the Pacoima Wash that feeds into the L.A. River on the day he disappeared.
The Los Angeles County Coroner's Office is using dental records to make a positive identification, officials said Monday.
The FBI, LAPD and other law enforcement agencies, as well as family, friends and community members had all been involved in exhaustive searches for Rodriguez.
A $50,000 reward was also offered for information leading to his discovery.
On Sunday Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti commented on the teen's tragic disappearance.
"Words cannot capture the agony that Elias' grieving family has felt since his disappearance," Garcetti said in a released statement. "I've asked my Crisis Response Team, who have been with the family, to do everything to help them through what is surely their worst nightmare."
On Monday parents and students at Cesar E. Chavez Learning Academies voiced sadness in learning about the possibility of the body being Rodriguez.
"I feel really bad and I just pray that he rests in peace," parent Sylvia Ayon told KTLA.
from KTLA http://ift.tt/2m3wBrM
No comments:
Post a Comment