Authorities are investigating the mysterious death of black teenager Quan “Bobby” Charles, whose body was found in a Louisiana sugarcane field, a cow slaughter, they said.
The announcement came on Saturday after questions were raised about how law enforcement officers have played a role in handling his case so far after Charles, 15, was called for an independent investigation by relatives and local civil rights groups.
Charles’ body was found on November 3 in a sugarcane field near the village of Loreville, 20 miles from his father’s home in Baldwin. His mother first reported him missing on October 30.
The family’s lawyer said last week that it was unclear why authorities did not warn Amber after she went missing or how she might drown – the cause of death in the autopsy report – when her body was found in shallow water.
The Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office did not say why it was investigating his death as a cow slaughter.
“As soon as we find him dead in this way, we immediately started treating him as a cow-slaughter investigation, the moment we found Quan” Bobby “Charles,” Shanif’s office said in a statement on Saturday.
The sheriff’s office also said Fees was not warned of Charles’ disappearance until Nov. 3, when one of his parents contacted The Fees.
The statement said Charles’ mother initially reported him missing to her local police department in the town of Baldwin and then the department notified the local sheriff’s office in St. Mary’s, Paris.
It was not immediately clear why the sheriff’s office in St. Mary’s, Paris, did not warn officials where Charles’ body was found in nearby Iberia, Pakistan. A St. Mary’s spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment Sunday night.
Investigators found hours of Charles’ body after learning of his disappearance, the sheriff’s office said in a statement, adding that it was “actively and aggressively” collecting evidence and conducting interviews.
The statement said investigators made video evidence of nearby video where Charles’ body was found. Stated in the statement.
The sheriff’s office said it was awaiting the results of the toxicology test and declined to provide additional details about Charles’ death as the investigation continues.
The family’s lawyer, Chase Trichel, said Sunday that he was glad the sheriff’s office was investigating Charles’ death as a cow slaughter.
He said the impact of any able-bodied 15-year-old body was going to drown an ankle in deep water, which caused his death.
However, he said neither the family nor his lawyers had heard about the possible leads, principles and other findings from Iberian Parish Sheriff Thomas Romero, despite a request for a meeting Friday.
The sheriff’s spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment.
