Found Deceased TX - Caleb Harris, 21, Texas A&M University student, Corpus Christi, 4 Mar 2024 #4

[SMK777]

Note that when you slip, the auto-response is usually to throw your arms up to balance. Shoulder width with arms over head is much narrower.

SBM
Very important to take into account. Plus the sudden step into a huge steep drop combined with the arms up, would completely throw off your balance and lessen any ability to grab the side in an attempt to climb back to safety. Especially in fog conditions where you would have no visibility and no idea what you’d even stepped into.

 

[Janitor101]

I'm still struggling with a barefoot Caleb ignoring his Uber eats order to wonder down to the bridge to snap a quick photo, and then wandering over to a field enveloped in a thick fog. For what reason? To take another photo? Of what? The wastewater facility? I just can't reconcile his movements once he left his apartment.

The other issue for me is his cell phone. If he is outside taking innocent random photos to kill time, why was his phone turned off? Im not sure if the field was illumintated by lighting on the highway, but it would seem a phone flashlight would come in handy crossing a field in the fog.

 

[SMK777]

I'm still struggling with a barefoot Caleb ignoring his Uber eats order to wonder down to the bridge to snap a quick photo, and then wandering over to a field enveloped in a thick fog. For what reason? To take another photo? Of what? The wastewater facility? I just can't reconcile his movements once he left his apartment.

The other issue for me is his cell phone. If he is outside taking innocent random photos to kill time, why was his phone turned off? Im not sure if the field was illumintated by lighting on the highway, but it would seem a phone flashlight would come in handy crossing a field in the fog.

These are indeed questions that investigators must be or should be asking and looking into. Plus, there is still the question of where his phone is.

 

[Muddy K]

These are indeed questions that investigators must be or should be asking and looking into. Plus, there is still the question of where his phone is.

Yes, the phone.

So much helpful information was provided by Assistant Chief Green in the Caller article, including evidence of Caleb's clothing and the extent of the remains recovered, along with confirmation of the fact that LE were initially unaware of the open manhole in the farm field.

(I'm surprised that the many volunteer search parties missed that manhole too.)

But where is Caleb's phone? If it was in a pocket, then it went into the manhole with him. Phones aren't buoyant, so it might remain inert on the "floor" of the piping, somewhere between the manhole and the lift station, until just the right amount of pressure and matter combine to move it along. It may never be found.

 

[SMK777]

Yes, the phone.

So much helpful information was provided by Assistant Chief Green in the Caller article, including evidence of Caleb's clothing and the extent of the remains recovered, along with confirmation of the fact that LE were initially unaware of the open manhole in the farm field.

(I'm surprised that the many volunteer search parties missed that manhole too.)

But where is Caleb's phone? If it was in a pocket, then it went into the manhole with him. Phones aren't buoyant, so it might remain inert on the "floor" of the piping, somewhere between the manhole and the lift station, until just the right amount of pressure and matter combine to move it along. It may never be found.

Another question: Could the phone have been completely corroded by the chemicals in the water?

 

[mlhenn]

'No one noticed that': CCPD Assistant Chief provides details on Caleb Harris' remains

A candlelight vigil was held for Caleb Harris at Cole Park Pier Saturday evening.

www.caller.com

To Note:
•April 17, a woman noticed the manhole in the field uncovered & notified LE
•April 18 LE had the water pumped from manhole; Green said they did not notice anything or have a way to enter the sewer.
•Manholes that are about 24-inches in diameter drop down about 18-feet to a concrete pit.
•The pit provides an access point to the well for the wastewater department and is covered by a steel grate secured with a padlock.
•The day CH was found, workers were checking the area after an alarm went off. They first discovered clothing.
•CCFD went outside to open the pit, a portion of Harris' body was visibly clear through the grate.

 

[SMK777]

'No one noticed that': CCPD Assistant Chief provides details on Caleb Harris' remains

A candlelight vigil was held for Caleb Harris at Cole Park Pier Saturday evening.

www.caller.com

To Note:
•April 17, a woman noticed the manhole in the field uncovered & notified LE
•April 18 LE had the water pumped from manhole; Green said they did not notice anything or have a way to enter the sewer.
•Manholes that are about 24-inches in diameter drop down about 18-feet to a concrete pit.
•The pit provides an access point to the well for the wastewater department and is covered by a steel grate secured with a padlock.
•The day CH was found, workers were checking the area after an alarm went off. They first discovered clothing.
•CCFD went outside to open the pit, a portion of Harris' body was visibly clear through the grate.

Thanks for laying it out like this for reference!
It’s clear that except for the manhole being uncovered in an area not really public, that due diligence was done.

 

[Angelcat13]

amazing that he had no injuries... guess the physics of this is more like a Bugs Bunny cartoon than I can believe.

Freak accidents can - and do - happen all the time, unfortunately. Here’s a perfect example of one involving a storm drain that would be unbelievable if not captured on camera.

 

[SMK777]

Freak accidents can - and do - happen all the time, unfortunately. Here’s a perfect example of one involving a storm drain that would be unbelievable if not captured on camera.

That’s unbelievable! The sheer chance of that trajectory…

And this teen falling down into a manhole also reveals how quickly it can happen:

 

[Kittybunny]

I'm still struggling with a barefoot Caleb ignoring his Uber eats order to wonder down to the bridge to snap a quick photo, and then wandering over to a field enveloped in a thick fog. For what reason? To take another photo? Of what? The wastewater facility? I just can't reconcile his movements once he left his apartment.

The other issue for me is his cell phone. If he is outside taking innocent random photos to kill time, why was his phone turned off? Im not sure if the field was illumintated by lighting on the highway, but it would seem a phone flashlight would come in handy crossing a field in the fog.

As has been posted multiple times, the UberEats order was for the next day. He knew it would be delivered and he could get it when he came back. As for the rest, why do young men do half the things they do? He was restless, high-energy, thought the fog was super cool, wanted to explore...just because you would never do something like that doesn't mean someone else wouldn't. We likely will never know.

Are we sure his phone was deliberately turned off, or just went off when it presumably hit water/went underwater?

 

[SMK777]

Are we sure his phone was deliberately turned off, or just went off when it presumably hit water/went underwater?

SBM
It may have gone off if he fell down into the ground water.

 

[fred&edna]

amazing that he had no injuries... guess the physics of this is more like a Bugs Bunny cartoon than I can believe.

Well, no injuries visible from the remains (which I assume was not a great deal). jmo

I'm sorry my thoughts are graphic but I would assume bloating eventually occurred and then sloughing of skin and tissue. It took quite some time to even identify him. I could be wrong, all jmo.

 

[Janitor101]

Well, no injuries visible from the remains (which I assume was not a great deal). jmo

I'm sorry my thoughts are graphic but I would assume bloating eventually occurred and then sloughing of skin and tissue. It took quite some time to even identify him. I could be wrong, all jmo.

I have a question along your line of thinking. The CCPD stated that they were unable to visualize anything inside the manhole as it had water in it at the time and they couldn't see to the bottom. If he had fallen into that manhole, wouldn't his body have floated to the top by April 18?

 

[fred&edna]

I have a question along your line of thinking. The CCPD stated that they were unable to visualize anything inside the manhole as it had water in it at the time and they couldn't see to the bottom. If he had fallen into that manhole, wouldn't his body have floated to the top by April 18?

I don't know. I'm just thinking aloud here, but... more than a month had transpired since he (theoretically) entered (by force or fall or ??) and when they flooded and visually searched the pipe. I don't know what type of organisms and/or bacteria would have been at work (not to mention any other types of animal life that could be in there, if any) that could have caused more deterioration of the body? Also, factor-in any rain and additional debris that could have fallen into the pipe. I don't know if these things could affect buoyancy or advance (or delay) decomposition which may cause the body to move deeper and farther through the pipes ??

And, if this land was used for some type of farming... there could be leakage of chemicals (maybe???) ... just an after-thought which is probably unlikely.

jmo

Just adding a random link regarding decomposition

How Does Water Affect Human Body Decomposition? - Xtreme Cleaners

After someone passes away, the process of body decomposition happens right away. While many people are aware of the major signs of decomposition like rigor mortis and skin color changes, very few understand the science behind body decomposition and what factors affect the speed at which a body...

xtremecleaners.com

 

[Muddy K]

I have a question along your line of thinking. The CCPD stated that they were unable to visualize anything inside the manhole as it had water in it at the time and they couldn't see to the bottom. If he had fallen into that manhole, wouldn't his body have floated to the top by April 18?

I share your question. And then they had the manhole drained and again found nothing.

I'll add a further question. Is there any reason that - if LE believed as of April 18th that there was a possibility that Caleb might have fallen into that manhole - they couldn't have sent a remote-controlled camera down and even threaded it a ways into the 15-inch lateral?

I believe that technology exists, sometimes for exactly the purpose of revealing blockages, such as when the long sewer lateral on my own property was explored by camera to determine whether it had been damaged by tree roots.

I know such questions may seem beside the point now that we know Caleb's terrible fate, but for me to truly accept the prevailing theory, I need to understand a lot more about how what seems to have happened could have happened and did actually happen.

I'm waiting for the final autopsy report, though I'm not even sure we'll get it.

 

[Bigditch]

RIP Caleb Harris

 

[fred&edna]

I share your question. And then they had the manhole drained and again found nothing.

I'll add a further question. Is there any reason that - if LE believed as of April 18th that there was a possibility that Caleb might have fallen into that manhole - they couldn't have sent a remote-controlled camera down and even threaded it a ways into the 15-inch lateral?

I believe that technology exists, sometimes for exactly the purpose of revealing blockages, such as when the long sewer lateral on my own property was explored by camera to determine whether it had been damaged by tree roots.

I know such questions may seem beside the point now that we know Caleb's terrible fate, but for me to truly accept the prevailing theory, I need to understand a lot more about how what seems to have happened could have happened and did actually happen.

I'm waiting for the final autopsy report, though I'm not even sure we'll get it.

That's exactly what Equusearch used when they located the body of the girl missing from hotel swimming pool, I mentioned previously. I assume LE didn't think this was likely... thus they did not do further searches inside the pipe with cameras... or maybe these pipes can't be completely drained??

8-year-old girl died after being sucked into pipe at Texas hotel swimming pool, lawsuit says

An attorney has provided details about the tragic death of a young girl who died after she was reportedly sucked into a pipe at a hotel pool in Houston, Texas.

www.koat.com

Tim Miller of Texas EquuSearch said the pool was drained and cameras attached to 20-foot-long pools were used to inspect the pipes. They found Aliyah's body inside.

"It was almost unbelievable," Miller said.

 

[Janitor101]

I share your question. And then they had the manhole drained and again found nothing.

I'll add a further question. Is there any reason that - if LE believed as of April 18th that there was a possibility that Caleb might have fallen into that manhole - they couldn't have sent a remote-controlled camera down and even threaded it a ways into the 15-inch lateral?

I believe that technology exists, sometimes for exactly the purpose of revealing blockages, such as when the long sewer lateral on my own property was explored by camera to determine whether it had been damaged by tree roots.

I know such questions may seem beside the point now that we know Caleb's terrible fate, but for me to truly accept the prevailing theory, I need to understand a lot more about how what seems to have happened could have happened and did actually happen.

I'm waiting for the final autopsy report, though I'm not even sure we'll get it.

My thought was that a body would have to undergo a prolonged decomposition process in order for it to be ready to be flushed or forced through the pipe.

Caleb was 5'11" and 180 pounds. I feel like by April 18, his body would still be inside this manhole yet nothing was found.

(to be honest, I'm probably just not understanding the mechanics of manholes, pipes, hatches, wet wells and lift stations)

 

[mlhenn]

(to be honest, I'm probably just not understanding the mechanics of manholes, pipes, hatches, wet wells and lift stations)

I honestly believe this is true for a majority of us. IMO, I think words are being used interchangeably that shouldn’t. For ex: I don’t think there’s a clear understanding of what the wet well, specific man hole, pit, so forth is & how each plays a role in this particular case. Again JMO.
And yea, I’m one of those who is confused!