Quawan Charles Death Ruled A Drowning By Second Independent Autopsy

We’re sick to our stomachs.

Source: NurPhoto / Getty

The death of Quawan “Bobby” Charles has hit us straight in the gut and it’s very hard to shake the feeling of grief that we know his family must be suffering through.

According to CBS News, Bobby’s family believes that Louisiana police didn’t take their concerns seriously when they first reported the 15-year-old missing. They insisted that he was only “at a football game” after being picked up from his father’s house by a woman named Janet Irvin and her 17-year-old son. Celina Charles, Quawan’s cousin, believes race played a factor in the police’s lackadaisical attitude. No Amber Alerts or community notifications were sent.

Source: Family / Charles Family

On November 2, Quawan’s body was found in a Loreauville sugar cane field about 30 minutes from his home. The coroner’s office initially stated that the teenager had drowned and mutilation marks on his face came from “aquatic animals” but that didn’t sit right with his family so they raised money to get a second, independent autopsy done.

“Those bodies of water barely go up to your knees. And so this isn’t that Quawan tried to go for a swim,” said Ronald Haley, one of the attorneys representing Quawan’s family.

According to TMZ, American Forensics has conducted that autopsy and they too have concluded that it is more than likely that Quawan did indeed drown. What they don’t know, however, is how that could have happened.

Beyoncé dedicated the front page of her website to Quawan’s memory.

Police are still investigating this death as a homicide. We will have more details as they become available.