Kendrick Johnson 's body was found in a wrestling mat Jan. 11, 2013, in the Lowndes High School gym in Valdosta, Georgia. On June 20, 2016, the Department of Justice announced that it would not be filing any criminal charges related to Johnson's death. On top of this, the second autopsy revealed that some of Johnsons organs were missing and in their place, his body had been stuffed with newspaper. Lowndes County sheriff's investigators concluded that he died in a freak accident, falling headfirst into an upright mat and becoming trapped. [14] On October 31, 2013, U.S. Attorney Michael J. Moore announced that his office would open a formal review into Johnson's death. The Johnsons hired Doctor Bill Anderson to conduct an independent second autopsy. Lowndes County sheriff's investigators concluded that he died in a freak accident, falling headfirst into an upright mat. [17], Johnson's family requested that his body be exhumed for a second time and was granted permission by Valdosta city officials. And they admit, they're struggling. His son, 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson, was dead. Now, the sheriffs have enough evidence in hand to perhaps allow them to solve this mystery once and for all. UNDATED: Kendrick Johnson,17, was found dead inside his high school's gym. Pollock told CrimeOnline that the lungs of someone who asphyxiates are heavier because the lungs fill with fluid, causing death. The fact that a filmmaker, whos basically an artist college dropouthad to do the work that no one did in Georgia for eight years. However, Pollock said Kendricks lungs post mortem were a normal weight for a boy his age and size. Some even drew comparisons to the death of Kendrick Johnson, the Georgia high school athlete whose suspicious 2013 death was ruled an accident, despite his family's demand for further investigation. "Stuffing that newspaper in like he was a garbage can inside his body," Kendrick father said. Kendrick Johnson death: Parents find son's organs were missing when 'Body Parts Are Missing': Newly-Released Footage of Kendrick Johnson's The suit also alleged that school officials failed to "properly monitor the activities of students throughout all areas" of the campus and to "maintain a properly functioning video surveillance system. The mat in which Johnson was found was around six feet tall. I don't know. According to CNN, funeral director Antonio Harrington claimed the 17-year-olds organs were destroyed through [the] natural process due to the position of his body when he died. Meet The Damselfly, Your New Favorite Insect, Man Who Had Part Of His Brain Removed To Cure Him Of Seizures Says He No Longer Feels Fear, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. Watson said he reviewed the second autopsy report on Johnson, but found it vague and lacking the specifics of the GBI's findings. Austin said Kendrick got the best of Brian. The private pathologist performed his own autopsy in June and presented a four-page report of his findings Aug. 15. Brian had told local media in numerous interviews that he had not seen Kendrick on the day he vanished. And his family had no idea. His parents also revealed that when Johnson's body was exhumed over the summer for a second autopsy, the private pathologist discovered his organs were missing and newspaper had been used to fill the body cavity. He writes, in part: "his internal organs were destroyed through natural process and henceforth were discarded before the body was sent back to Valdosta.". U.S. Attorney Michael Moore in Macon has been monitoring the case but has yet to announce whether he'll take any further action. 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Credle along with Kendricks parents, relatives, and friends recounted their experiences for Finding Kendrick Johnson, a new documentary that is available on various streaming platforms, including Amazon Prime Video and Google Play. Attorneys for the Johnson family expressed fears that the camera footage was edited as part of a cover-up. All Rights Reserved. [31] They were subsequently sued for more than $850,000 in attorney fees[32] and $1,000,000 in defamation damages. Kendrick Johnsons body rolled up inside the gym mat with his shoes behind his knees. Every organ from the pelvis to the skull was gone." cnn.com Gym mat death shocker: Body stuffed with newspaper | CNN The attorney who helped push for a criminal prosecution in Trayvon Martin's shooting said Thursday that he's joining the fight to reopen an investigation into the death of a Georgia teenager whose body was found inside a rolled-up wrestling mat at school. Lowndes County sheriff's investigators concluded that he died in a freak accident, falling headfirst into an upright mat and becoming trapped. "The brain. "They brought me in to make sure this is not able to be swept under the rug in small-town Georgia and they never get justice for their child.". R.I.P Kendrick Johnson FacebookOne of the coroners reports on Kendrick Johnsons autopsy. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. But a judge agreed in May to exhume the body, and Kenneth and Jacquelyn Johnson hired Dr. William R. Anderson to provide a second opinion. What made me think that everything was a cover-upwas that first meeting with the medical examiner, Mitch Credle said. [26] All local Superior Court judges recused themselves from presiding over the case, preventing the lawsuit from being filed and heard in Lowndes County, citing their close proximity to the accused. Moore did not immediately return a phone message Thursday. The teenager's family announced Thursday that the Florida lawyer who helped push for a criminal prosecution in the shooting of Trayvon Martin has joined efforts to reopen an investigation into Johnson's death. His body was exhumed twice for a third autopsy, Kendrick Johnson the The first time Jacquelyn Johnson cried next to her son Kendrick's grave, he was being lowered into the ground. He concluded the teenager died from blunt force trauma near his carotid artery and that the fatal blow appeared to be non-accidental. Seventeen-year-old Kendrick Johnsons body was inexplicably found upside-down in a rolled-up gym mat in 2013. Trayvon family lawyer joins outcry over Ga. death. That's what happened in Johnson's case, she said. Sheriff Chris Prine has said he suspected Johnson became trapped while trying to retrieve a shoe that fell into the center of the large rolled mat. We have buried kj 3 times and it felt like 3 funerals and i lost him 3 times.. ", Complete coverage of Kendrick Johnson on Crimesider, First published on October 11, 2013 / 11:31 AM. As far as the feds were concerned, the case was officially and finally closed. "[11] Johnson's family questioned this hypothesis. Market data provided by Factset. Family: Ga. teen's organs replaced with newspaper - USA Today "We just can't allow this to happen again and again and again.". A Georgia sheriff's office is reopening an investigation into the 2013 death of Kendrick Johnson, a Black teenager whose body was found inside a rolled-up gym mat in his high school .