16-year-old found dead after mom dropped him off at California skate park, reports say
_fitted.png "A teen was found dead the day after his mother dropped him off at a California skate park, media reports say.")
Elizabeth Schmidt last saw her teen son alive when she dropped him off at a California skate park to meet up with friends on Monday, Oct. 17, according to media reports.
The next day, 16-year-old Robert Schmidt Jr. was found dead in a dirt lot near Apple Valley Skate Park, NBC Los Angeles reported.
“Why would you leave my son in the dirt? You know. Why?” Elizabeth Schmidt told the outlet.
Officers got a call about a man down in the morning on Tuesday, Oct. 18, according to an alert from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
Deputies arrived and found Robert with “traumatic injuries,” officials said. He was pronounced dead on scene.
Robert, who leaves behind his parents and four younger sisters, was a “good kid,” who “never got into trouble,” according to a GoFundMe set up for the family.
“Our family is completely devastated and at a loss for words,” his aunt wrote on the GoFundMe. “We don’t understand why this has happened or who would do this.”
Police said they have not identified a suspect.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 909-890-4904.
Apple Valley is about 90 miles northeast of Los Angeles.
This story was originally published October 20, 2022 at 6:48 PM with the headline "16-year-old found dead after mom dropped him off at California skate park, reports say."
