Authorities: Body of youth found near Oatville Elementary in Haysville

Parents of students at Oatville Elementary School were given the option of keeping their children home from classes Thursday after the body of a minor was found near the school playground, officials said.

The death of the juvenile appears to be a suicide, Sedgwick County sheriff’s Lt. Lin Dehning said. The child’s body was discovered at about 7 a.m. in the 4300 block of South Hoover.

“I am calling this morning because we have had an incident on school grounds,” Oatville principal Shane Dent said in a phone call made to school parents. “An unidentified individual has passed away on school grounds. We are giving you the option to keep your student home today without penalty.

“The safety and security of our students and staff are our first priority. There is no threat to district staff or students.”

The incident “had nothing to do with Oatville Elementary School,” Dehning said.

The juvenile was not a student in the Haysville school district, he said. Authorities are not releasing the age or gender of the suicide victim.

This story was originally published August 27, 2015 at 12:43 PM with the headline "Authorities: Body of youth found near Oatville Elementary in Haysville."