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U.S. NEWS Friday 28 September 2018

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Police chief 'heartbroken' after body discovered in creek

GASTONIA, N.C. (AP) — The Welch said. "There is griev-
chief of a North Carolina ing down at our command
police department said post."
Thursday he was "heartbro- FBI agent Jason Kaplan,
ken" over the discovery of a also fighting tears, said
body believed to be that of the investigation into what
a missing 6-year-old boy. happened to Maddox will
Gastonia Police Chief Rob- continue. He said the wa-
ert Helton fought back ter wasn't more than 3 feet
tears and a breaking voice (0.9 meters) deep at the
during a news conference spot where the body was
in which it was announced found, adding that it's too
officials believed the body early to say whether foul
searchers found was that of play was involved. Neither
Maddox Ritch. he nor the other officials
"Our community's heartbro- would provide additional
ken. This is not the end that details regarding the body
we hoped for," Helton said. being found, including how
"I've lost a lot of sleep this long the body had been in
week worrying about Mad- the creek.
dox." Last Saturday, Maddox
Gastonia Fire Chief Phil Ritch's father said the boy
Welch said the body was ran off from him and a
found in a creek, slightly friend at the park and dis- Gastonia Police Chief Robert Helton, left, listens as Ian Ritch speaks during a press conference
more than a mile (1.6 ki- appeared before he could Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018, in Gastonia, N.C., about his 6-year-old son Maddox Ritch who disap-
lometers) east of Rankin catch up to him. peared while they were visiting Rankin Lake Park near downtown Gastonia Saturday, Sept. 22,
Lake Park, by a searcher The news release says the 2018.
who was walking down the boy's parents have been
middle of the creek as his notified about the body on national television and thy in his feet, he has trou- again. With the help of the
partners stood on the bank. being found, and police at a news conference to ble running. friend, Ritch searched for
He said the area had been scheduled a news confer- repeat the pleas. "He likes running," Ritch his son but couldn't find
searched previously by ence for later in the after- According to the boy's fa- said. "I couldn't catch up him. Park personnel also
drones, all-terrain vehicles noon. ther, Ian Ritch, Maddox with him. I feel guilt for let- joined in the search but
and foot patrols. Both parents went before was about 25 feet to 30 ting him get so far ahead of didn't see Maddox, either.
Welch said a crew of 15 the media this week to feet (7 meters to 9 meters) me before I started running After an hour, Ritch called
searchers returned to the plead for any information away before he broke into after him." 911, saying he delayed that
creek and discovered the that would lead to the dis- a sprint just as a jogger Ritch said the boy looked call because he thought
body. covery of Maddox, who passed them. The father back at him and laughed, he would find his son and
"There is no sense of ac- was autistic. On Wednes- said he is a diabetic and adding that he would slow there was no reason to call
complishment here today," day, Ian Ritch appeared because he has neuropa- down and then speed up police.q
Denver removes homeless storage units lived in by people

DENVER (AP) — Denver of- were staying in the unven- said. the containers to another has four school-style lock-
ficials have removed large tilated units day and night, "There was a feeling that location that would likely ers for homeless people
outdoor storage containers Chris Conner, director of they had crossed a thresh- be gated and only avail- outside its location near
set up last year for home- the city's Denver Road old and were making the able to homeless people downtown Denver. Kay-
less people after discover- Home homelessness agen- area less stable and safe who are seeking jobs, Con- van Khalatbari, a mayoral
ing that people were living cy, told The Denver Post. for people," Conner said. ner said. candidate who holds a
inside them. Some units near the Denver Homeless advocate Ray Nonprofit groups and at stake in the business, said
The city paid $30,000 for 10 Rescue Mission shelter and Lyall said he was not sur- least one business offer having the lockers in a resi-
4-by-6-foot (1-by-2-meter) facilities run by other non- prised by people lived in lockers for homeless peo- dential area seems to have
containers meant to give profit groups serving the the containers. ple to use, some of them helped.
homeless people a safe homeless were damaged "If it's cold, it's wet, I'd have funded by the city. But they "You have more eyes on
place to store clothing and and vandalized and there slept in those things, too," tend to be smaller and these around the day,"
other possessions. were unconfirmed reports he said. "I can't blame usually require people to he said. "We haven't had
But the city decided to do of narcotics sales and al- them for that." check in with staffers be- a single issue in almost a
away with the containers legations of prostitution in- The city is talking to a non- fore accessing them. year that these have been
for now because people side the containers, Conner profit group about moving The restaurant Sexy Pizza installed."q