Death of 9-year-old boy shakes New Kensington neighborhood

Police are investigating the death of a 9-year-old boy, Azuree Charles, in New Kensington.

The Westmoreland County coroner was called to the scene Wednesday afternoon at East Ken Manor, a Westmoreland County Housing Authority complex along Haser Drive. Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli was also at the scene.

The coroner’s office said it is being investigated as a homicide, according Tribune-Review news partner WPXI-TV.

Azuree’s body was found by 70-year-old Osie Taylor Jr. in a wooded area behind Taylor’s home, he said.

Taylor said police were knocking door to door and told him the boy had been missing since Tuesday night.

Taylor said he offered to help police look for Azuree because he knows where the kids usually hang out and play. When he found Azuree’s body, he said, it was under a lawn chair.

“I knew something wasn’t right because my lawn chair was out of place,” Taylor said.

The boy was clothed but not wearing shoes or socks, Taylor said.

He said he doesn’t know what happened to Azuree but that the boy had been sick and had gone through a lot of operations.

Taylor said Azuree had three younger sisters, and they all lived with their mother in the complex.

“He was a very gentle, nice kid,” Taylor said. “He laughed all the time and played with his sisters all the time. He was a very, very nice kid, always well mannered. He got along well with everybody.”

Ziccarelli said in a prepared statement that New Kensington police were dispatched to the scene at 6:18 a.m. Wednesday to investigate the report of the missing boy. She confirmed the boy was later found dead and the Westmoreland County Detective Bureau is working the investigation with New Kensington police.

“To our community at large, hold your children close,” she said. “They are our most precious gifts. We will not rest until we determine what or who caused this child’s death.”

Ziccarelli, speaking to the media at New Kensington City Hall, declined to offer specifics on the child’s death. She did not take questions.

Taylor said he has lived in East Ken Manor for 10 years and knows Azuree’s mother. He said his thoughts are with the family.

“She was always outside with the kids,” he said. “She was one of the few that took care of their kids.”

Taylor said he sometimes spends time outdoors with the neighborhood kids and occasionally offers them Popsicles or candy as they play.

“It just breaks my heart. It feels like it happened to me,” he said. “The kid was like one of my kids or one of my grandkids.”

As police and detectives placed caution tape near the scene, concerned residents looked on, not really understanding what had happened or if there was reason to be concerned for their safety. They said police had not given them much information.

East Ken Manor resident Gina Pace said she had just seen Azuree outside playing the day before with other neighborhood children.

“This is a severe tragedy, and it hits close to home,” Pace said. “We know that boy. He had a very good disposition. He was a handsome, smart little guy.”

Brittney Sneed, another neighbor, has an 8-year-old daughter and two boys, a 2-year-old and a 5-month-old. She called the situation scary.

“We don’t know what happened,” she said. “We have kids; I don’t know what to think.”

Sneed said Azuree would sometimes come over to play with her children.

“I’m worried. I think we should all be worried,” she said. “He’s a child, and the way he was found, it was just scary.”

New Kensington-Arnold School District Superintendent Chris Sefcheck emailed a letter to district families with the news of the boy’s death.

“It is with heavy heart that I share news that one of our elementary students passed away suddenly sometime this morning before school,” the letter said. “A tragedy like this is not easy to accept, while causing many levels of grief across our close-knit community.”

He said the district will have grief counselors and services available for students and employees.

“If your student talks with you about being grief-stricken over losing a friend or classmate, please let them know that the schools are doing everything they can to help and to please speak with their teacher when they get to school tomorrow,” the letter said. “Please keep the family and our community in your thoughts and reflections through this challenging time.”