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Mother of Deceased Moundsville Teen Seeks Justice During Wheeling Rally

Photo by Scott McCloskey Angela Hawkins, the mother of 15-year-old Kyle Morgan, who was found dead beneath the Fort Henry Bridge last year, speaks with Wheeling police Sgt. Gregg McKenzie, left, and Detective Rob Safreed about the case Friday outside the City-County Building.

WHEELING — A grieving mother traveled from her Kentucky home to Wheeling on Friday in search of justice for her son.

One year ago Friday, Kyle Morgan, a 15-year-old John Marshall High School student, was found dead beneath the Fort Henry Bridge in Wheeling. According to the Wheeling Police Department, investigators are still waiting for DNA testing results from the state medical examiner’s office and no arrests have been made regarding the case in Ohio County.

Morgan’s mother, Angela Hawkins, traveled over six hours to downtown Wheeling to protest outside the city building with her fiance, Clint Farmer, and a group of four friends Friday.

She expressed her displeasure with the department’s staffing and case priorities.

Hawkins also met with Sgt. Gregg McKenzie and Detective Rob Safreed, who is currently assigned to the case.

Morgan’s body was discovered beneath the Fort Henry Bridge on June 16, 2016. Authorities later identified the body as Morgan’s, and a coroner ruled the manner of Morgan’s death as homicide.

Hawkins said officers told her the department is looking into possible suspects, some of whom are homeless. She added she was told DNA results from the case could be available by next week. Investigators could not be reached for comment.

“For one, I’d like them to get some more manpower in here. In a case like this, one detective should be assigned to that case and that case only. I’ve read reports say that detectives were just so busy with another murder, which I understand, but I’ve also seen they’ve been working on a bank robbery, which really upset me,” she said. “I’m not downing them by any means and I want to make that very clear. Detective Safreed is doing a great job, but the fact remains that they need that manpower.”

She described Kyle as intelligent with a great sense of humor. An avid video game enthusiast, Morgan planned to join the military after high school to save funds required to attend a video game programming school.

“I hope the public sees there is no giving up. A parent will never give up on their child,” Hawkins said. “I just want some answers. It’s like I’m stuck in this hole I can’t get out of. It’s a deep depression that doesn’t stop. I stood out here mostly by myself today and that’s fine. At least I know I did what I could to get my point across and I’m praying that anyone who knows something will see that. Whatever I have to do to get someone sympathetic enough to come forward, so be it.”

She added she believes Kyle Morgan’s kind nature may have placed him in danger.

“He would give the shirt off his back to help anyone,” Hawkins said. “I’ve often wondered if that’s what happened. Maybe he was trying to be kind and help someone.”

Farmer said he wanted to support his fiancee and fight for her son.

“I’m here to support her and help her get the case solved. We need justice for us and the rest of the family,” he said. “It’s been hard. I love her and I want to do what I can. There’s times where you don’t know what to do or what to say, but I will do anything to let her know I’m here and I’ll back her up.”

Jeni Blevins, a Kentucky resident and friend of Hawkins, also traveled to Wheeling Friday for the event.

“We’ve been friends with Angela for years and we wanted to make sure someone was here with her,” Blevins said. “I hope the department puts a little more focus on this and remembers this is important to the people who loved him and are missing him. We want it to be as important to them as it is to us.”

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