The quest to identify a young man who drowned in Phoenix earlier this month continues, as the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children teams up with Maricopa County officials. According to FOX 10 Phoenix, the unidentified male, thought to be between the ages of 15 and 18, was discovered unresponsive in a pool at an apartment complex near 55th Avenue and Indian School Road on July 6.
Despite efforts to save him, the teenager succumbed to his injuries at Valleywise Medical Center on July 8, "Officials have said he did not have any identification with him," FOX 10 Phoenix reported. The boy's physical characteristics include a height of 5'6", a weight of 184 pounds, and a notable non-surgical scar on his left thigh.
In a bid to gather more leads, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children has released a sketch of the "John Doe", hoping someone might recognize him. 12News noted that the sketch depicts a teen with black hair and brown eyes. The case highlights the broader scope of Maricopa County, which, as the 4th largest county in the nation, is a challenging landscape for both identifying the missing and preventing such tragedies.
Community members possessing any information that might aid in identifying the individual are encouraged to contact the Maricopa County Medical Examiner at 602-506-3322, or the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678. Meanwhile, those seeking local news updates, or to follow this ongoing story, can utilize the free 12+ app from 12News, which, provides live streams and on-demand videos through platforms such as Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV.
