UK UK - Owen Harding, 16, Saltdean, East Sussex, 26 Mar 2020

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Rosiebones said:
خرائط ‪Google‬‏‏
It seems to be on the way north toward his girl friends home.
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Yes it sure does. He could have walked to tonbridge and then began to understand how far it was to get to York. I read in another article that the police had set up a tent next to a lake. We should be finding out soon who he was.
 
LouTennant said:
Body of teenage boy found in Tunbridge Wells park
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On whether or not this body is Owen, it’s all pretty speculative at the moment but Police seem pretty certain from the language reported here that this discovery is not the result of foul play but a clear case of suicide/accident.

I’ve always had a problem with the “walking to York” theory. If he did then he is quite unlike any other teenager I’ve known who - in their right mind and before setting off/shortly thereafter - would consult Google Maps (like we all do) to see that it is a 277 mile trip of 5 hours by car and close to 4 days walking, not counting any stops to rest/sleep. It is basically half the length of the UK.

Hitchhiking or attempting to catch public transport (that is, or is not, operating during lockdown) or even stealing a car(!) is much more likely IMO, but that opens up the very strong likelihood of him being spotted/recognised/identified enroute.

If this body is Owen’s and it is a case of suicide, then we’ve clearly been kept in the dark over his true mental state at the time of arguing with his mum and walking out of the house. It is just not logical behaviour reflective of his age to attempt a 277 mile “walk” with not even a change of clothes, nor take his own life over a relatively short period of home/neighbourhood confinement due to Covid-19 (which is what his mum seems to think contributed to his distress/storming off). There’s something more going on here.
 
LouTennant said:
Body of teenage boy found in Tunbridge Wells park

From the same news source as the poster above. A body of a teenager was found today in the woods. No further details as of yet. I'm unfamiliar with the area. Could this be him?
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Oh no. This could be him.

It was a park where they found him so that could match up to a place he would stay for a bit. LE is not treating it as suspicious.

"A spokesman said the boy's death is not being treated as suspicious."

I wonder if that means there are no obvious injuries. If the person was sleeping there, I wonder if hypothermia may have set in. If I found the right weather for there, it was getting to about 40 degrees F as a low the last couple days. I wonder if that is enough to cause hypothermia. Maybe after a rain and someone is wet it could have.

Or starvation possibly if it was him and he didnt get enough food.

Whoever it is , it is very sad they found a deceased teenage boy there.

First link below is the temps lately and 2nd link is same one shared by LouTennant (thanks) and contains how the spokesperson said it is not being treated as suspicious.

Past Weather in Royal Tunbridge Wells, England, United Kingdom — Yesterday or Further Back

Body of teenage boy found in Tunbridge Wells park
 
Rosiebones said:
خرائط ‪Google‬‏‏
It seems to be on the way north toward his girl friends home.
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing the map.

If it was him, he traveled basically straight north 18.5 miles. From East Sussex to Royal Tunbridge Wells.

18.5 miles on foot is a long ways so it would feel very far if that is him and he traveled by foot. A brisk walking pace is about 3.0 mph to 4.5 mph, but to go that far and stay at it, I think 2.0 to 3.0 mph would probably be closer to the pace, if not even slower. Because when you consider someone would have to slow down for traffic, intersections, hills, to rest, etc. then it slows down the pace even further.

So a determined trip like that on foot if it was him and going straight through, Im guessing would be anywhere from about 8-12 hours walking time.
 
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With regards to walking theory I think it was born out of this.. <modsnip>

I dont think he attempted the walk simply because he was not prepared for it. That's not to say that he could not have got to Tonbridge. He could have walked for a few hours after leaving home, camped out and then maybe got there the next day. He was fit and was playing sports.

In my mind though he headed towards the sea. And if he entered it the tides would push you outwards on that day.
 
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LouTennant said:
With regards to walking theory I think it was born out of this.. <modsnip> So the walking statement could have been said by Owen in a huff.

I dont think he attempted the walk simply because he was not prepared for it. That's not to say that he could not have got to Tonbridge. He could have walked for a few hours after leaving home, camped out and then maybe got there the next day. He was fit and was playing sports.

In my mind though he headed towards the sea. And if he entered it the tides would push you outwards on that day.
Click to expand...
ITA I, too, think he went out to sea but whether it was accidental or intentional keeps me on the fence.
 
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chimpface said:
I would be surprised if this is him.
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I see now why so many think he went out to the sea closer to his home. I just read through this BBC article link below and the way his Cell phone signal stopped close to his home, I am leaning more toward that also now.
This is a sad case and it is heartbreaking to read through that article.

Lets hope today they can at least identify whose body was found in Tunbridge Wells.

The teen who disappeared during lockdown
 
I don't think it's him either. MOO
Have been checking SM and nothing about it. There are scheduled daily prayers today and tomorrow though for him on Facebook, not sure I can post the link.
 
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