ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A badly decomposed body found near a Florida lake has been identified as that of a 16-year-old boy, police said Saturday.
The body of Jarvis Deliford was found in the mangroves near the shore of Lake Maggiore in St. Petersburg on Thursday morning surrounded by about 10 alligators.
Deliford had been arrested in June on burglary charges and was released later that month.
"He was on an ankle monitor, he had been released from juvenile detention (June 29) and was on an ankle monitor and he cut that off," police officials told WFLA on Saturday.
Witnesses said they saw alligators dragging the body through the water Thursday morning.
Investigators said it is unclear why Deliford removed the ankle monitor or why he was at the lake, WFLA reported.
Investigators said there were no signs of foul play. Authorities are still waiting on autopsy results for an official cause of death.
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Cox Media Group
