The Balch Springs community has been rocked by the discovery of a boy’s body outside an elementary school.
The body of a 16-year-old boy was found outside an elementary school in Balch Springs early Tuesday morning.
According to Balch Springs Police, at about 7:40 a.m. an unresponsive boy was found in a grassy area near some trees in front of Gray Elementary School along the 3500 block of Pioneer Road.
Concerned parents and passersby attempted CPR, but when first responders arrived they declared the child deceased.
The child was identified Wednesday by the Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office as Lamarya Marquez Dewaine Sanders. Mesquite ISD said Sanders was not a student at the elementary school and that there were no safety concerns for the campus.
Get top local stories in Philly delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC Philadelphia's News Headlines newsletter.
On Tuesday night, officials confirmed Sanders's age and said he was a former student in the Mesquite ISD who previously attended Berry Middle School but withdrew in 2021.
While the investigation was underway Tuesday morning, crime scene tape was used to cordon off an area on the building's west side between the school's sign and the entrance to the parking lot.
Police have not released any details about the condition of the boy's body or what may have caused his death. Police, however, did confirm to NBC 5 that they do not suspect foul play and that it looked like he became incapacitated sometime overnight. Toxicology reports to determine the cause of death can take several weeks to complete.
U.S. & World
Stories that affect your life across the U.S. and around the world.
Investigators are looking at security video from the area to see if they can get a better idea about what took place.
Mesquite ISD confirmed the school was placed on a hold Tuesday while police investigated the school. The students were told to remain in their classrooms and keep the hallways clear. The hold was called off after the crime scene tape was removed and investigators had completed the on-site investigation outside of the school.
The investigation has moved off campus and is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Balch Springs Police at 972-557-6020 and reference report number 23-102226.
The school is a Mesquite ISD campus in the Balch Springs city limits.
