Freight Train Fatally Strikes Missing Boy In Philadelphia: Police

PHILADELPHIA — A freight train fatally struck a boy Monday night in Northeast Philadelphia, police said. He was reported missing the day before.

The boy, 15, was struck around 11:30 p.m. while walking on the tracks that go over Grant Avenue near Welsh Road, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

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Before the collision, the CSX train was traveling northbound at a normal speed for nighttime and limited visibility, police said. The boy was walking southbound on the railroad tracks.

The conductor immediately activated the emergency breaks but couldn't stop the train in time, police said.

Investigators found that the boy was entered into the National Crime Information Center database as a missing person on Sunday. Notifications are pending as of Tuesday morning.

Police don't believe this was a suicide, KYW reports. But the investigation remains active.

The victim's remains were brought to the Office of the Medical Examiner for further analysis.