Mystery surrounds the death of a star Minnesota high school football player found dead on a farm 12 hours after fleeing from an underage drinking party.
The body of Michael Anyasike, 18, was discovered Sunday afternoon on land one mile away from a vacant Madison farmhouse raided by deputies earlier that morning.
Taken to Madison Hospital, the promising running back from Dawson was pronounced dead.
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The school’s football coach, Cory Larson, says Anyasike was not a trouble-maker.
Authorities have not confirmed how he died, and are now trying to piece together what happened during his final few hours.
“Everything is pure speculation at this point – nobody knows,” Cory Larson, his football coach at Dawson-Boyd High School Larson, told the Star Tribune.
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The running back had hoped to go to St. John’s University.
“It’s a sad loss of a great classmate, a great teammate, a great friend and a kid that this community is going to miss deeply,” he added.
Doctor’s son Anyasike, who was planning to go to St. John’s University to continue his football career, was among dozens of teens seen sprinting from the party Sunday morning.
Authorities have not revealed how Anyasike died.
They became spooked after a Lac qui Parle County deputy showed up to reports of possible underage boozing.
When Anyasike didn’t return home, his concerned family called cops who launched the search at midday. His body was found shortly afterwards.
Larson said Anyasike, who has a younger sister and two younger brothers, was not a trouble-maker, and described him as being “as coachable and teachable a kid as you get.”
A memorial service is now being planned by the high school.
Sheriff Rick Halvorson and county coroner Dr. Ralph Gerbig said the investigation into the tragedy was ongoing.