A 12-year-old boy was found dead on Sunday, June 22, after an oncoming train collided with him in Kansas. This horrifying incident happened on Wednesday, June 18, in Neosho County when an older 16-year-old boy’s body was first found on the railroad tracks, while the younger Kollin Showalter, who was also hit by the train, was missing.
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Missing 12-Year-Old Boy’s Body Found After Killed On Railroad By Train
The grim news comes four days after Showalter disappeared, and 16-year-old Arthur Pollreis was killed in the train accident. Investigators discovered Showalter’s body in Neosho River in Labette County, according to KSNF.
Neosho County Sheriff Greg Taylor was notified just after noon on Sunday of a possible sighting of a body. The authorities recovered the boy’s body and confirmed it to be Showalter. A fisherman first found the boy’s body, according to Labette County Sheriff Darren Eichinger.
Officials know the cause of death for both boys. Camera footage from the train’s engine showed both boys on the bridge. They were unable to outrun the oncoming train, leading to the collision.
While the authorities were quickly able to recover Pollreis’ body, Showalter was missing until Sunday. Search efforts were difficult due to bad Neosho River conditions. This included high water levels and a large debris collection.
Still, water rescue teams continued searching through Neosho River using boats with sonar equipment. Unfortunately, Sheriff Taylor had to suspend the search on Saturday due to the worsening water conditions.
They didn’t have to continue the search as the fisherman spotted Showalter’s body first. Due to all the help from the community, Taylor thanked everyone involved in the search.
“This has been a very hard week for everyone involved,” said the sheriff. “I want to express my gratitude to every first responder and our community who contributed to our recovery efforts.”
In response to the devastating deaths, the community has set up a memorial fund for both families. A Facebook post announced the fund set up at Commercial Bank in Erie. These donations will be open for one month.
“There have been so many people behind the scenes that have made this work,” it wrote. “You all know who you are, and we all know you do what you do because of your heart. Please honor these two lives by loving on their families and friends.”