Heartbreak in Tinton Falls: Missing NJ teen found dead in South Carolina river
☑️Body of missing NJ college student found near USS Yorktown in Charleston
☑️Owen Kenney, 19, disappeared on Halloween after being seen on a bridge
☑️ His death was ruled a suicide
TINTON FALLS — The body of a missing college student from New Jersey was recovered Saturday morning from the Cooper River in Charleston near the USS Yorktown.
Owen Kenney, a freshman at the College of Charleston from Tinton Falls went missing early on Halloween. Police said the 19-year-old was last seen on the Ravanel Bridge pedestrian bridge walkway around 3 a.m. on Oct. 31. The 2.5 mile suspension bridge spans Charleston Harbor. Officials ruled his death a suicide Thursday.
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Search ends in tragedy
The Carolina Emergency Response Team on Saturday said the Red Bank Catholic graduate's body was located near the USS Yorktown and the nearby Patriots Point Marina. The coroner’s office has made a positive identification.
“I would like to thank everyone who took part in the effort to get Owen back to his family. We hope this recovery brings some measure of closure to a family experiencing unimaginable loss," Charleston Police Chief Chito Walker said in a statement. "We ask that everyone continue to respect the privacy of the Kenney family during this difficult time.”
Funeral arrangements have not been announced.
A GoFundMe campaign continues to accept donations to help his family with ongoing expenses.
Help is available
If you feel you or someone you know may be in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 988 or click here to chat online with a trained counselor.
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Significant or historical events in New Jersey for November (in chronological order)
Gallery Credit: Dan Alexander
