Police investigating teen's death near Balch Springs elementary school
BALCH SPRINGS, Texas - Balch Springs police are investigating the death of a 16-year-old boy whose body was found on the campus of an elementary school.
Police confirm part of the investigation includes surveillance video of a young man checking out a business near the school overnight Tuesday. They're trying to determine if this was him and what caused his death.
The teen was found after many parents had already dropped their children off at school Tuesday morning.
Police say someone noticed the teenager lying in the grass and called 911. Now, an investigation is underway to find out when and how the 16-year-old died.
The school day on Tuesday at Gray Elementary in Balch Springs started and ended with concern and confusion.
Just before 8 a.m., Belinda Balderas came outside her apartment across from the Mesquite ISD elementary school to see officers at the front.
"We are seeing all this police and tape. Taping the area there," she said.
Police and fire were parked just feet from where she dropped off her two kids 30 minutes prior.
"Because it’s like you drop off your kids, and it's right there," Balderas said.
The worried mother called the school, who she says assured her the children were safe inside and under lockdown.
Teen found dead on Mesquite ISD school campus
Parents have questions and concerns after a teen was found dead on the campus of an elementary school in the Mesquite school district. Gray Elementary is in the Dallas suburb of Balch Springs. That's where FOX 4's Paige Ellenberger is now with the latest on the investigation.
Balch Springs police say school employees found a 16-year-old boy unresponsive on school property. People tried CPR, but the teen was pronounced dead by paramedics.
Balderas shared with FOX 4 a voicemail from Mesquite ISD she received later in the day Tuesday.
The district told parents the 16-year-old was a former Mesquite ISD student at Berry Middle School, who withdrew back in 2021.
"It’s sad. I feel bad because it happened at our school, but we don’t know how long he’s been there," Balderas said.
Police say right now they do not suspect foul play in the teen’s death. Investigators believe the teen died sometime overnight.
After the teen was found Tuesday, FOX 4 was contacted by a Balch Springs business owner located half a mile away from the elementary school.
The business sent Balch Spring police and FOX 4 surveillance video of what appears to be a teenager dropping a coat on the ground before walking around the building and then out of frame.
The owner tells FOX 4 he checked his cameras after the coat was left behind.
Balch Springs police confirm detectives visited the business Tuesday and now have a copy of the video.
Investigators cannot confirm the video of the 16-year-old who was found dead but say the video is now part of the investigation.
The cause of death hasn’t been released yet.
School is scheduled to take place Wednesday.