Kendrick Johnson's family holds rally at State Capitol

ATLANTA — Hundreds of protestors gathered at the Georgia state Capitol demanding that Gov. Nathan Deal call for a special investigation into the death of 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson.

In January, school officials found the body of the Valdosta teen inside a rolled-up wrestling mat at his high school gym. The state medical examiner said he suffocated after reaching for a shoe that fell into the mat. A second autopsy, ordered by the family, found the teen had a blow to the neck.

Johnson's parents believe his death was not an accident.

"We just want the truth, to what happened to Kendrick. We want to know what happened to our son," said Johnson's father Kenneth Johnson.

Some state lawmakers also believe there's something mysterious about the teen's death.

"A child has been killed, somebody's baby is dead and we're not going to stop until we find out what happened to Kendrick Johnson," said State Rep. Dee Dawkins-Haigler.

Channel 2 Action News is working to see if Deal is planning to look into Johnson's death. The protesters plan to hold another rally Jan. 11 in Valdosta outside Lowndes High School, where Johnson's body was found.

WSBTV