Man Finds Missing 14-Year-Old Son Shot Dead Inside Trailer In California

A 14-year-old boy, who was reported missing Sunday, was found shot dead inside a travel trailer in Compton, California. The teen's body was found by his father Tuesday night, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said.

In a statement, the Sheriff's Office said the boy’s family approached police Monday. The teen, whose identity was not revealed, was of Hispanic origin.

The boy’s father, who had been searching for him ever since he went missing, found his body inside the trailer in the 4200 block of East San Luis Street shortly before 9 p.m. Tuesday. The vehicle was parked in an alley, according to the statement by Deputy Tracy Koerner.

Deputies immediately responded to the scene and found that the teen suffered a gunshot to his upper torso. He was declared dead at the scene, KTLA reported.

No additional details about when the boy was shot and how he ended up in the trailer were released. However, the statement said detectives are investigating the shooting as a “homicide.”

Deputies have also not revealed any information on who owned the trailer and whether the family had any connection to the owner. No suspects have been arrested in the killing, and there is no word on a motive either.

Anyone with information is urged to call the department’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Those who want to leave a tip anonymously can contact Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or lacrimestoppers.org, the statement added.

Another case of teen shooting was reported from Ohio on Monday when a 13-year-old boy from Milwaukee was fatally shot while visiting Cleveland Heights.

According to Cleveland Heights Police Chief Annette Mecklenburg, the boy was with his mother when he suffered a gunshot.

The child, identified as London Hill, died in a home on Woodview Road just north of Monticello Boulevard. Police made no arrests in the shooting as of Tuesday morning, but they believe the shots came from a backyard three houses away. At least two bullets pierced the home where London and his mother were visiting and struck the boy, the officers said.

Mecklenburg did not say whether investigators believe the shooting was accidental or intentional.