Body of missing Kansas teen found after hours-long search in Linn County
A 13-year-old boy who went missing from a lakeside neighborhood in Linn County, Kansas, was found dead Monday, according to a news release.
The Linn County Sheriff’s Office said Airen Andula was reported missing around 6:20 p.m. Sunday after he was last seen around 8 a.m. that day in the Holiday Lakes community near Pleasanton.
A large-scale search effort involving several agencies ensued. According to a news release, search teams covered a large wooded area that included multiple bodies of water. The search spanned a lake community with homes, trailers and outbuildings.
The Sheriff’s Office employed the help of agencies across state lines for the search to include the Bates County Sheriff’s Office in Missouri.
Due to difficult conditions of the terrain, search efforts were suspended around 2 a.m. Monday to ensure safety of the responders, a news release said.
Family and friends of the boy were contacted throughout the night regarding his disappearance, the news release said.
The search continued Monday morning. Hours later, an assisting agency informed the sheriff’s office that search crews found Airen’s body and a recovery effort was underway.
The sheriff’s office did not indicate where Airen’s body was found.
A spokesperson for the Linn County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to questions about the investigation Tuesday.
An investigation into Airen’s death is ongoing.
“Our hearts go out to the family and friends during this incredibly difficult time,” the Linn County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. “Our community is mourning this heartbreaking loss, and we respectfully ask that the family’s privacy be honored as they grieve.”
The boy’s death investigation will be led by the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department and assisted by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation Crime Scene Response Team, the news release said.
In a later release, a spokesperson with KCKPD said the department was asked to assist with the investigation due to a conflict of interest with local agencies. They also said that a person of interest is in custody who has been charges in Bates County, Missouri, and is awaiting charges in Linn County, Kansas.
KCKPD also said the cause of death is still undetermined, pending the medical examination by the coroner’s office.
This story was originally published December 23, 2025 at 12:53 PM.
