12-Year-Old Boy Goes Missing At Camp, Is Found Dead In The Pool Hours Later

KEY POINTS

12-year-old Pau Kahi was on a three-day trip for middle school students
Organizers noticed he was missing after campers went swimming
Officers searched the area and found his body hours later in the pool

New Freedom, Pennsylvania -- A 12-year-old boy who went missing while on a three-day camping trip in Pennsylvania was found dead in a pool at the camp’s venue.

Investigators are still trying to determine the cause of his death.

Pau Kahi was on a Westminster Presbyterian Church camping trip for middle schoolers at the Summit Grove Campground in New Freedom. The boy had joined campers Wednesday for a swim at 3:30 p.m. before he disappeared, the New York Post reported.

Camp organizers realized Kahi was missing when they cleared the pool at 6 p.m. to send the campers on their next activity for the day.

After checking the pool and searching the area, organizers called 911 and reported Kahi missing. The Southern York Regional Police Department responded and searched the grounds for the missing boy.

Hours of searching came to an end at around 2:00 a.m. Thursday when Kahi’s body was found in the pool.

“Pau’s whereabouts and what specifically transpired between 6:00 p.m. on June 29th and 2:00 a.m. on June 30th is unknown …” Summit Grove said in a statement.

Investigators currently believe Kahi’s death was an accident.

"At this point, we have no information that it's anything other than an accident, but we're certainly going to look into every aspect just to make sure," Chief James Boddington told WGAL-TV.

It is unclear how Kahi got in the pool, which was closed and locked up between 6 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, police said.

"We're still trying to determine who all was at the pool, who had left the pool. We're still trying to interview people. There was a lot of people involved in the area," Boddington added.

All camping activities at the venue were canceled for the day.

A report from the medical examiner’s office would help determine the exact manner and cause of death as the investigation continues.

“Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Khai family, Pau’s friends, and the Westminster Presbyterian Church community as we continue to collectively mourn and process this devastating loss,” Summit Grove said in their statement. “Nothing is more important to Summit Grove than the health and wellbeing of all who utilize the campus.”