Sad New Details About Corey Brown, The Missing Iowa Teen Whose Body Was Found In The Woods
He was out in below-zero temperatures for days.
Marshalltown Police Department The body of a 13-year-old Iowa boy who went missing Jan. 22 during a snowstorm was recently found in the woods.
After a fight with his parents, Corey Brown left his Marshalltown home Tuesday night as a brutal snowstorm raged on; it was the last time he was seen alive. His body was located by police at 10:45 a.m. Sunday morning in a secluded area of the woods on the west side of the town, according to the Marshalltown Police Department.
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Police said there is no evidence of foul play in the boy's death.
"I think people here are looking for reasons, looking for blame. There's no blame to be found here," Chief Michael Tupper with the Marshalltown Police Department told KCRG.
Marshalltown Police Department
Corey was last seen leaving his home wearing black pants, a black and lime green coat, and a Seattle Seahawks cap via surveillance footage at around 11 p.m. on Jan. 22, according to police. His parents realized he was missing around 5 a.m. Wednesday and called the police.
Tupper said in a news conference Thursday that the boy's parents had taken his phone away after a "disciplinary discussion," which prompted him to leave, the Des Moines Register reported.
"It's a typical interaction with a 13-year-old child, nothing extraordinary," Tupper said. "But he reacted emotionally to that."
The temperature in the area dropped below zero for three straight days following Corey's disappearance. Hundreds of volunteers braved the harsh weather to look for the teen but were unable to locate him. Authorities asked residents to check their sheds, garages, and vehicles for the missing boy, advising that he was likely seeking shelter from the low temperatures.
Corey's parents pleaded for him to come home and asked anyone with information to come forward.
“You know how much we love you,” Corey's mother, Michelle Brown, said, according to ABC affiliate WOI-DT. “I am not going to stop until I find you. If you are out there, please come home.”
“Corey, if you are out there, bud, you are not in trouble," his father, Craig Brown, added. "Just come home."
Police found his body Sunday morning after an intense and days-long search. The investigation showed that Brown had climbed onto a communication tower when he fell, hitting his head, according to police. It is unclear how far he fell, but he suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of the fall. He died of the injury, a preliminary autopsy revealed.
Authorities said that the investigation is still active but that there is no evidence that points to criminal activity.
"Our hearts bleed for the Brown family," Marshalltown Mayor Joel Greer said in a written statement Sunday. "The whole city and all well-wishers will keep them in our thoughts and continue our prayers for them."
Sarah Gangraw writes about all things news, entertainment and crime. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter.