Brown

The preliminary autopsy results of missing Marshalltown teen Corey Brown show he died after falling from a communication tower a mile from his home.

He died from a significant head injury and blunt force trauma that resulted from climbing the tower and falling off of it, Marshalltown Police Chief Mike Tupper said Wednesday morning about the preliminary results. The state medical examiner’s office conducted the autopsy Tuesday and sent its initial report to Marshalltown Police.

“We don’t know why Corey was climbing the tower, what happened, how he fell off the tower,” Tupper said. “All I know is that he was there and he fell. Nobody was there to talk to Corey so we obviously can’t know his frame of mind.”

Corey, 13, was found dead Sunday near the tower in the 900-1000 block of West Iowa Avenue in Marshalltown and no criminal activity has been suspected. He had been missing since Jan. 22. The initial investigation and autopsy results indicate Corey likely died the night he left home. The injury was traumatic and not survivable, Tupper said.

Tupper emphasized that the results are preliminary and the department still has to get toxicology results, which can take weeks.

“We ask that everyone is cautious in how they talk about this and try to stick to the facts,” Tupper said. “I realize that people are going to have questions, but the family has been through a lot.”

Tupper said the medical examiner still has some lab testing which might list the cause of death as accidental or undetermined.

The investigation is still ongoing. Tupper said they have some loose ends to tie up with looking at videos and conducting interviews.

Corey’s parents reported him missing the morning of Jan. 23 when they woke up and found he was not in his bedroom. Security footage showed he left the house about 11 p.m. Jan. 22 during a winter weather advisory. He did not have his cell phone with him.

After learning Corey was missing, Marshalltown community members immediately took to sharing the message on social media. By Wednesday last week, hundreds of community members had gathered at St. Henry Catholic Church to volunteer to help find him. Tupper later told the group the best thing they could do was share the message on social media because volunteers could impede the investigators’ search.

In the days following, community members did whatever they could to make sure people knew Corey was missing. Fliers were posted in local businesses. The school and other community organizations promoted wearing green — his favorite color — and passed out ribbons. His parents and brother gave an emotional public statement Thursday night in hopes he may hear it and come home.

Information from Mitchell Family Funeral Home shows a funeral mass will be held for Corey 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Henry Catholic Church, 211 W. Olive St. A visitation will be held 4-7 p.m. Friday followed by a vigil that same day.

Corey will be laid to rest at Riverside Cemetery.

“We want to just continue to pray for Corey and the Brown family,” Tupper said.