LAWRENCE COUNTY, Ohio — The Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office provided an update on the case of a runaway juvenile on April 18, 2023. The office had responded to a report regarding 15-year-old Darrien Otta, who had gone missing. Extensive investigations were conducted, including interviews with Darrien’s friends at Dawson Bryant High School. A thorough search of the surrounding area and woods near the residence yielded no signs of the teenager. In an effort to locate Darrien, the Sheriff’s Office collected evidence, including cellular phones for data extraction.
Nearly a week later, on April 27, authorities from the Ceredo Kenova Police Department, in collaboration with the Kenova Police Department in West Virginia, made a distressing discovery. The lifeless body of an unidentified male was found in the Ohio River near Twelve Pole Creek. The body was subsequently sent to the West Virginia Medical Examiner’s Office in Charleston for both identification and determining the cause of death.
During the course of the investigation, Darrien’s Grandmother/Guardian provided valuable cooperation. DNA samples and dental records were obtained from a local Lawrence County Dental Office to aid in the identification process.
Seeking further assistance, both the Grandmother and the Sheriff’s Office engaged the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) in their efforts to investigate and identify the body discovered in Kenova, West Virginia. Today, on June 21, the Forensic Odontologist from the NCMEC confirmed the positive identification of the body as that of Darrien Otta.
The Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office has been informed by the West Virginia Medical Examiner’s Office that no signs of foul play were found during the examination of the male body.
Authorities say the case remains under investigation.
