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Brandon Jenkins, age 18, was found Saturday, Jan. 30, when a passerby called 911 to report a body in the ice-covered Duck Pond of Edgewood Park in New Haven, New Haven Police said.
Jenkins, a resident of New Haven, had been missing since. Sunday, Dec. 20, when he left his New Haven home and never returned. The family and police have searched for the teen since his disappearance and a GoFundMe page was started to help with the effort.
In addition to the standard missing person alert, a Silver Alert was later issued for Jenkins and NHPD officers and Special Victims Unit detectives checked local hospitals and shelters in their search.
Investigators canvassed areas frequented by the missing man. This included going door to door in the Newhallville neighborhood as well as canvassing Edgewood Park and the New Haven Green.
SVU detectives followed tips and leads that included reviewing security camera footage for possible sightings of the missing man.
On Saturday, January 30, a New Haven Fire Department water rescue team removed the victim from the ice-covered Duck Pond of Edgewood Park. The state OCME has not made a cause and manner of death determination.
On the GoFundMe page, Jenkins is described as being very active in the community.
"He has volunteered hundreds of hours at the various food banks around New Haven," the page organizer said. "He is an avid lover of animals. At age 14 he chose to be vegan because of his passion for the cruelty of animals. He is such a compassionate soul. His passion is helping others."
Jenkins was also described as an "introvert, and a homebody", and the family said it was "very unusual and alarming" for him to leave and not return home.
The investigation is ongoing. Detectives ask anyone with information to contact the New Haven Police Department at 203-946-6304.
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