Teen flees cops and is found dead in pond, MI police say. ‘He had the biggest heart’

A 16-year-old boy who went missing when he fled officers was later found dead in a pond, according to Michigan police and news reports.

Authorities in Oakland County said an alarm was going off at a Tractor Supply store at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 3. When officers arrived, Joe Paduchowski and another 16-year-old were seen climbing down from the roof of the building, according to WXYZ.

The unidentified teen was taken into custody, but Joe fled and was reported missing when he did not return home, police told WHMI.

Crews searched for Joe, whose body was discovered in a small pond at 10 p.m. Sunday, police said, WDIV reported. He is believed to have drowned.

“It’s a very tragic situation,” Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard told WXYZ. “Good kids make bad choices.”

Joe was a junior at Lakeland High School in White Lake, where he was a member of the varsity football team, according to an obituary. He worked at a White Lake restaurant and was active in his church’s youth group.

“He had the biggest heart of any kid you’ll ever meet,” Randy Paduchowski, Joe’s father, told WDIV. “His loss has left an indescribable hole in our hearts and souls.”

White Lake is about 40 miles northwest of Detroit.

This story was originally published December 5, 2023 at 9:07 AM with the headline "Teen flees cops and is found dead in pond, MI police say. ‘He had the biggest heart’."