WALLINGFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Connecticut State Police responded to a request from the state NAACP on Friday to provide more information on the death of a 17-year-old boy who allegedly fled the scene of a crash involving a stolen car.

The NAACP held a news conference Friday morning, announcing that they are opening their own investigation into Khasir Jennette’s death.

His body was found in the woods by a dogwalker in Wallingford on Feb. 21, around 9:15 a.m., three weeks after a stolen Acura he was in crashed on Route 15 North in Wallingford.

The NAACP said they want more answers on how investigators searched for the teen after he was reported missing.

At the time of the crash on Feb. 1, around 9:48 p.m., police said there were about 12 to 16 inches of snow on the ground. K-9 units were called to track the area of the Quinnipiac River near the abandoned car around 10:30 p.m., which did not yield any results.

Police received another call at 1:34 a.m. from Jennette’s mother, stating that he was involved in the crash on Route 15 and was in the woods with his friends freezing. She had not seen him since Jan. 31 and provided a description of what he could have been wearing. She also said another mother had called her to say her son was in the woods, as well.

State police released a detailed summary in response, listing the resources deployed in searching for Jennette after he went missing, which included opening a missing persons investigation, distributing the information to social media, and issuing a Silver Alert.

Connecticut State Police stated that many resources were deployed on Sunday night, going into Monday morning, when they found tracks leading through “extreme conditions,” including frozen waterways, embankments, wooden unlighted terrain, brush, sticks and prickers, and into the Amazon property campus locations with solar farms.

State police also said that the Quinnipiac River was not fully frozen and had water flowing under breakable ice. The overnight temperature on the night of Sunday, Feb. 1, was -3 degrees.

Police said they used the following while attempting to locate the boy:

• CSP air 1 unit
• CSP drone unit
• CSP search and rescue K-9 units
• CSP Troop I K09 units
• CSP Troop I patrol units
• Troop G K-9 Units
• Troop G patrol units
• CSP Troop H patrol units
• CSP troop H K-9 units (patrol and bloodhound K-9)
• EMS services
• Wallingford Fire Department thermal imaging
• Wallingford Police Department patrol units
• CSP Central District Major Crimes
• CSP Intelligence and Operations Unit
• CSP Collision, Analysis and Reconstruction Squad

An arrest warrant shows that Jennette was one of the three people in the stolen car at the time of the crash, and that police have arrested at least one person, Khalil Marquis Council, in connection with the theft.

Jennette’s mother stated that she had texted him the day of the crash around 9:30 a.m., which he read but did not reply to. She said that his phone did not have cell service and connected to WiFi when it was available.

State police additionally clarified that a press release was not sent out upon the discovery of Jennette’s body, as “it is standard operating procedure that press releases are not completed
by police departments following unattended death investigations.”

PORTLAND (WGME)– A ballot initiative seeking to prevent transgender students from playing girls sports in Maine may not be on the November ballot after all.

A Maine Deputy Secretary of State now says the initiative no longer has enough valid signatures.

Facing time constraints, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows initially validated 72,000 of the nearly 80,000 signatures gathered in support of the “Protect Girls Sports” ballot initiative. As a result, the Secretary of State approved the referendum for the November ballot.

But after a challenge to more of those signatures, including some with invalid dates and others that appear to be signed by the same person, a judge ordered a closer examination of the petitions. Chief Deputy Secretary of State Katherine McBrien says they’ve now found more than 4,800 additional invalid signatures.

“Because the number of valid signatures is now short of the required number by 532 signatures, I find the petition to be invalid,” McBrien said.

“It seems like this group didn’t follow the rules,” Gia Drew of Equality Maine said

Drew says there’s also evidence that some petition tables were unmanned while people were signing.

“Very obvious by the evidence that was presented that the folks who were doing this didn’t do that job,” Drew said.

At this point, the referendum is still approved for the November ballot. Bellows has yet to issue a final ruling.

Protect Girls Sports in Maine says it is now reviewing the deputy’s recommendation.

“We are continuing our defense of the Protect Girls Sports ballot measure and will be filing our objections to the recommended decision before the May 23 deadline.”

“We’re confident that the petition-gathering process was well done,” Protect Girls Sports in Maine attorney Tim Woodcock said. “And we’re confident that in the end, petition signatures that were gathered were done in sufficient number to withstand this challenge.”

At last count, only two transgender students were playing girls sports in Maine.

“There are far more pressing issues, I think, than a trans kid playing sports. I do think this is a political move by some folks to drive their base out to vote, which I think is short-sighted, narrow-minded and puts kids in harm’s way,” Drew said.

Bellows plans to hold a news conference on Tuesday, where she will announce her decision on the Protect Girls Sports in Maine referendum.

BOSTON (WHDH) – The Massachusetts Fallen Heroes Memorial put on its annual rededication ceremony honoring service members and those they left behind Friday ahead of Memorial Day on Monday.

Dan Magoon, Executive Director of The Massachusetts Fallen Heroes Memorial, said its a solemn day that can educate the community about local heroes. Magoon said the ceremony is about “making sure that the next generations, and America as a whole, understands what happens behind the scenes and the sacrifices that are made.”

United States flags were laid out in Boston’s Seaport, each standing as a reminder of those who sacrificed for the country. The ceremony also features the unveiling of memorial panels with the names of service members lost to war, but no new names were added this year.

A woman who lost her brother in the war in Afghanistan said remembrance is important every year.

“I think its different not having new names that we’re adding,” said Lindsey Bazigian. “And personally, I think it gives us an added weight to make sure we’re remembering and still continue to carry on their legacy and say their names.”

Gold Star families also laid out roses for the fallen.

Keavin Duffy, who lost his brother in the war in Iraq in 2008, said that his grief connects him to others and its a feeling that never truly goes away.

“It’s a funny thing because you continue to carry with it even 18 years later,” Duffy said. “It’s something like New England weather, where you don’t know when it’s going to pop up.”

Organizers hope the event encourages everyone to never forget those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

“That’s the best thing we can do, continue to say their names, continue to educate, and really make it about that service and sacrifice,” said Magoon.

The flags will remain displayed until Tuesday.

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