West Point cadet from San Francisco Bay Area found drowned after going missing during Spring Break in Florida
A U.S Military Academy cadet from the San Francisco Bay Area who went missing while on leave in Florida during Spring Break was found dead as the result of an accidental drowning, officials said.
Havin Morris, 21, of Pleasanton went missing overnight on Saturday night in Fort Lauderdale. Police said his body was found Monday night in the New River which traverses the city's downtown area.
"The information gathered throughout our investigation led FLPD's Dive Team to search the New River near the area where he was last seen," said a police statement sent to KPIX. "Divers located his body on Monday night. At this time, his death appears to be an accidental drowning and no foul play is suspected."
The South Florida Sun Sentinal reported Morris was out with three friends Saturday night and had texted his parents at about 11 p.m. that he was at a nightclub. His friends said they saw him there at 1 a.m. and lost track of him afterward, the Sun Sentinal said, citing a police report.
A police dive team found Morris' body in the river close to where he was last seen, according to a police spokesperson.
Morris graduated from Pleasanton's Amador Valley High School and started at West Point in 2020, according to his Facebook page.
"Cadet Morris was a valued member of the Corps of Cadets, committed to serving his country as an Army Officer," West Point Superintendent Lt. Gen. Steve Gilland said in a statement. "The entire West Point Community offers our heartfelt condolences to the Morris family."
Morris' tactical officer, Maj. Rebecca A. Gogue, described him as "a bright, resilient young man with a determination to succeed in all he did," according to a press release from West Point.
The U.S. Army has appointed a casualty assistance officer to support Morris' family, the statement said. West Point also said the Army's Criminal Investigation Command was cooperating with Fort Lauderdale police on the death investigation.
