FBI investigates hanging death of black teen thought to be suicide

The FBI and the U.S. Attorney's office in the Eastern District of North Carolina have begun an investigation into the August hanging death of a black 17-year-old boy.

Lennon Lacey was found hanging from a swing set in the small town of Bladenboro, North Carolina on August 29. The state's medical examiner ruled his death a suicide, but Lacey's mother is questioning the official account.

A lawyer from the NAACP is helping the family, and the organization also hired an independent pathologist to review Lacey's official autopsy.

Some clues about the swing set are raising questions about whether the death was in fact a suicide. For instance, the beam was seven and a half feet off the ground, and there was nothing Lacey could have stood on.

According to the NAACP investigation, the state medical examiner was never provided a photograph of the swing set where Lacey was found hanging.

48 Hours Crimesider reporter Michelle Sigona reports for CBSN.