Tampa Community Mourns Loss of 16-Year-Old Eniola Olafemi, Found Near Courtney Campbell Causeway

The death of 16-year-old student Eniola Olafemi, whose body was discovered close to the Courtney Campbell Causeway, has devastated the Tampa community. The devastating discovery was confirmed by his grandma, Cathy Jackson, who last saw him on Tuesday as he was heading off to school. In a statement that WFLA News Channel 8 was able to receive, she stated, “I am lost,” as her family struggles to deal with the unfathomable death of Eniola, whom they had been looking for for several heartbreaking days.

According to Tampa police, who are still looking into the matter, Olafemi’s death was not yet considered suspicious because there were no traces of trauma on his body or in the water. But Jackson is adamant that her grandson’s death is not the only explanation. “I believe it to be a murder. What people say doesn’t matter to me. I believe he was murdered. “I don’t know how they killed him,” she said to 10 Tampa Bay. These feelings are expressed amid unanswered questions about how Eniola got into the ocean and why his phone kept pinging after he vanished.

Jackson is proud of Eniola’s potential and describes him as a smart, athletic, and kind youngster with a bright future. “He’s brilliant. In an interview with 10 Tampa Bay, she recalled that despite his struggles with academic interest, “He needs to be in college.” Jackson adopted Eniola from Brazil in 2015; he had previously walked away from home when he was 13 and had a history of not wanting to continue attending school.

The family has established a GoFundMe to help with funeral costs in their time of loss. Jackson’s son was murdered six years ago in an unresolved case, so the loss has landed on a family already familiar with suffering. Jackson stated, “He was wonderful, and I miss him,” according to 10 Tampa Bay. Although they claim the instances don’t seem to be related, investigators are also investigating a second death discovered close to the causeway.

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