DeKalb County authorities suspect a 13-year-old boy was killed in a shooting before his body was found Monday in a wooded area near Lithonia Park.
Police have confirmed the teenager was Jamiren Crosby, whose family said left his home Saturday night and did not return. A passerby spotted his body while walking home through the park Monday afternoon, lying in thick brush behind a row of townhomes on Parkview Trail.
Virginia Montgomery told Channel 2 Action News that Jamiren was partially covered by a blue tarp and was wearing a gray skull cap and gray tennis shoes. He was clutching a branch, she told the news station.
“The death has been ruled a homicide and is currently under investigation by the DeKalb County Police Department Homicide Unit,” a DeKalb police spokesperson said Wednesday in a statement.
According to the DeKalb County Medical Examinier’s Office, the teenager was shot to death.
Monday’s discovery prompted a large police response at the townhome community and brought the Crosby family to the crime scene. Relative Brittanie Malone said her worst fears were confirmed.
“He didn’t deserve that, what happened to him. He didn’t,” Malone told Channel 2. “He’s a sweet child.”
Jamiren was a student at DeKalb Alternative School, according to the DeKalb County School District. His family said they sent out search parties through the weekend to look for him at local schools and parks. A mysterious phone call to the family suggested Jamiren was killed and left somewhere in Lithonia Park, Channel 2 reported.
His body was ultimately found about 10 minutes from his home.
DeKalb police have not said if they were investigating a missing person case before Jamiren was found dead, and it was not clear when they believe he was killed.
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