Body of man recovered in LNVA Canal Beaumont

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BEAUMONT, Texas — The body of a teen has been recovered Saturday after officials say he jumped into the LNVA Canal in Beaumont Friday.

Jefferson County Pct. 1 Justice of the Peace Ben Collins, Sr. confirmed the victim is 17-year-old Ellis Holman III from Beaumont.

On Friday, June 2, 2023 at around 4:30 p.m., Beaumont Police officers were dispatched to West End Lodge Apartments in reference to a disturbance, according to a news release from the Beaumont Police Department.

Dispatch says Holman was wearing no shirt and red shorts was yelling at anyone walking around the area.

When officers arrived to the scene, they made contact with the teen who was now on the levee of the LNVA Canal.

At the point Holman was standing, officers could not see him due to the height of the levee and the thick brush, according to the release.

Witnesses nearby tell police Holman began yelling and jumped into the canal. Once in the canal, he waved his hands up and started screaming that he couldn't swim.

Once officers and maintenance personnel made it through the thick brush and the top of the levee, there was no sign of Holman.

The Beaumont Fire Dive Team was sent to the scene and conducted a search until nearly 9 p.m. Friday without success.

On Saturday, June 3, 2023 around 11 a.m., the 17-year-old was found dead in the water near the entry point of the canal, according to the release.

Sgt. Tom Swope of the Beaumont Police Department tells 12News it is believed Holman was suffering from a mental crisis when he jumped into the canal.

Judge Collins has ordered an autopsy.

From a Beaumont Police Department news release:

Yesterday afternoon, at 4:30 pm, On the above date and time, officers were dispatched to West End Lodge, 4215 N. Major Dr, in reference to a disturbance. Dispatch advised that a B/M wearing no shirt and red shorts was yelling at anyone walking in the area. Officers arrived on scene and made verbal contact with the subject, who by now was on the levee of the LNVA canal. Officers could not see the subject due to thick brush and him being on top of a twenty-foot levee. Witnesses on a second story landing nearby, stated the subject yelling and jumped into the canal. Just after entry, he started waving his hands and screaming that he could not swim. Once officers and maintenance personal made it through the brush and to the top of the levee, there was no sign of the subject or where he could possibly be. Beaumont Fire Dive Team was requested to the scene and they searched until nearly 2100 hours without success. Today, at approx 1100 hrs, the subject was found deceased in the water near the entry point to the canal. A positive ID on the subject has not been made yet.

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