Found Deceased OH - Harley Dilly, 14, walking to Port Clinton High School, 20 Dec 2019 #4

[Hatfield]

Been trying to envision how a person would climb down a chimney feet first and IMO I think at first it would not be that difficult if one puts their back against the wall and puts their feet on the opposite wall to push their weight against their own back which keeps the person secured and keeps them from sliding down. I think the problem is that it takes leg strength and probably some arm strength to start to maneuver down. So a person could hold themselves for awhile but eventually the muscles in the legs would not be able to keep pressing against the wall and eventually a person would finally have to just slip on down until wedged. Ugggggg.

This link below is not a real good example because the inside of the walls is far apart and they are doing it sideways with both hands and feet, and going up instead of down, but it gives you an idea how you can push against opposite sides of the walls to keep your body from going down.

 

[Pugsterpig]

I apologize if this was mentioned already (tried to keep up while at work ), how did his coat and glasses get inside the house? Had he already been in and out before going down chimney and getting stuck?

 

[Rossymom]

Harley crawled right into a lot of our hearts here at WS. We had so many video's to listen to his voice, see him interact with friends, and pour out his feelings. I was looking for him at every stop on I70 and we cut across Ohio to base after Christmas. I hate that his classmates will walk this path of sorrow. They are too young to deal with this. Old people die, not your buddies!
I pray for peace to blanket this community.

 

[DeeDee1111]

Thanks DeeDee1111. That sounds like a likely scenario. A 14 yo boy (or girl) just isn't mature enough to think things through like an adult and he was probably worried about getting in trouble if he had to call for help. Fourteen (and adolescence in general) is such a difficult age. Maturing into a teen, but still so much a child. Impulsive and risk-taking, but still really afraid of the consequences.

Welcome to Websleuths! Hope you visit often! Welcome to all the new visitors here who came to try to spread the word and help find HD.

Thanks for welcoming me. I am more of a lurker, but I think I will contribute more to these threads in the future.

 

[MassGuy]

I apologize if this was mentioned already (tried to keep up while at work ), how did his coat and glasses get inside the house? Had he already been in and out before going down chimney and getting stuck?

It appears that he pushed them through an opening in the chimney flue. There is no evidence that he first entered the house.

 

[MichelleBlue]

Have you guys seen this video. I think it shows his personality. It sure does show that he admits he's a handful but he like owns it. He also says don't let things get you down. Well, as much as this little guy wanted to be a YouTube star I think he'd be loving all the views and attention he's getting now. Unfortunately due to bad circumstances. I guess the sheriff nailed it early on that he though something happened to Harley by misadventure.

April 19th Vlog
9,273 views
•Apr 19, 2018

Thanks for sharing this video. It actually made me smile. Harley was a funny kid.

IMO it appears based on the info that LE has shared that this was truly accidental & no one is to blame. I'm sure his parents feel a lot of guilt - for not letting him stay home from school that Friday, for the conflicts that they had with him & each other, etc. I'm sure LE feels some element of regret that they did not find him in time. However, there was no way LE could have searched (or would have reason to search) every occupied or unoccupied structure within walking distance of HD's home. I hope Harley's family, friends, teachers, and all of the first responders find peace and healing.

 

[Angelcat13]

Mistakes and errors and tragedies happen. However, when they do, it is important to evaluate how they could have been prevented. What did we learn and what standard operating procedures need to be updated to prevent this tragedy from happening again?

When a child goes missing it should be imperative to search and clear houses and buildings in the immediate area where the child was last seen. Even if it’s difficult and you have to secure permission from absentee property owners. This isn’t bashing LE, it’s critically evaluating what happened. Even if he couldn’t be saved because of an injury during the fall, he would have been found much sooner saving significant LE resources.

Wonderful organizations like NCMEC and the Amber Alert system only came around because of critical evaluation of horrific kidnapping cases.

LE has the power and the resources of the state behind it. They can handle a little criticism from victims advocates.

Agree 100%.

 

[nonanks]

This helps shed some light

Expert explains chimney design to surmise how Harley Dilly's coat, glasses were on 2nd floor of house

Expert explains chimney design to surmise how Harley Dilly's coat, glasses were on 2nd floor of house

 

[LovesPeace2]

Off topic. Chipping children. Remember the flip side, that same technology to give you peace of mind, can & would be used (hacked) by undesirables than mean your children harm.

I recently heard a college student refer to their mother as a “smother”. It did make me laugh a little.

I have a lil pink gps key ring my 20 something daughter will hook on her jeans or something when she goes out on a date just for my piece of mind . This case is just sad I feel for his sister

 

[wishBones1962]

MOO - potential COD. Positional asphyxia-
Positional asphyxia, also known as postural asphyxia, is a form of asphyxia which occurs when someone's position prevents the person from breathing adequately.
Suffocation.
It is possible to die from hanging upside down for too long. It's rare, but blood can pool to the head, which can be extremely dangerous for the body.
Hanging Upside Down: Effects, Risks, and Benefits
Injury.
I'm just putting these out there.

 

[simlyme]

Don't know if this has been posted, but, pictures and videos. Rest in Peace Harley!
Tragedy: Harley Dilly found in chimney of unoccupied home

 

[Rotten apple]

This helps shed some light

Expert explains chimney design to surmise how Harley Dilly's coat, glasses were on 2nd floor of house

Expert explains chimney design to surmise how Harley Dilly's coat, glasses were on 2nd floor of house

It definitely does- I needed that visual! So I think we can assume he threw his coat and glasses down there before he crawled in? Although if they weren’t visible when they landed I have to wonder where he thought they went. Maybe he thought he’d take the same route as them and assumed he’d end up in the house? Tragic, tragic situation...MOO

 

[Angelcat13]

not microchipped, that only helps if they are found, you need to implant a tracking device. I have considered that on both of my kids and they are home bodies. I have worked for Animal Control, my animals are Microchipped, so if they get lost they can be returned, but if my kids wander off, I wanna be able to pull up an app and see a flashing dot and see exactly where they are....ok so I'm a paranoid parent and individual.

True, that's what I meant.

 

[Spellbound]

Please excuse me if this has already been posted....need to catch up once again. Someone else may be able to understand more of how articles ended up on the 2nd floor

See the linked page for a working video (mine here is just a screenshot to show Harley’s home and the empty house) and more info.

Expert explains chimney design to surmise how Harley Dilly's coat, glasses were on 2nd floor of house



According to the expert, looking into the opening, the smoke shelf can be seen and that would appear to be the bottom of the chimney. However, the opening then takes a sharp twist.

The flue, which could be angled in the open position, is located there. If the glasses and coat were dropped, they would be deflected onto the floor. Besides the chimney opening twisting at that site, it also narrows to roughly six inches, making it impossible for anyone of any size to squeeze through.

 

[heed101]

Why didn't LEO Check it. Leave no stone unturned. I just don't get it. The excuse doesn't wash with me. Not when you have a missing endangered CHILD. Plus Chief made blatently clear Do Not Tresspass. Like you will get his boot up your Behind if you do. So I understand the public,and volunteers not doing that. Even though many obviously wanted to. But were forbiden from doing so.
MOO

I am surprised dogs did not pick up a scent around the house. Also do we know if he was alone when he went to the house ?

 

[MassGuy]

I am surprised dogs did not pick up a scent around the house. Also do we know if he was alone?

I’m not surprised. Atleast a couple days would have passed since he climbed that tower, and entered the chimney.

Dogs aren’t 100% accurate anyways. There is no indication he was with anyone else.

 

[TropicalTapioca]

SO....does MSM NOT have all the info???
Body believed to be missing Port Clinton boy Harley Dilly found in vacant home, police say

Body believed to be missing Port Clinton boy Harley Dilly found in vacant home, police say



IMO....The "reward" money should be donated to the family to help assist with funeral costs.

I couldn’t agree more with you. Maybe even some type of memorial as well.

 

[lonetraveler]

Question I have is would Harley do this ? I was a risk taker at that age and while I might have climbed the antenna mast and looked down the chimney I would have never gone into it. And from Mom's description of him and his habits going down a chimney seems out of character. Why not just break one of those upper floor windowns and get in that way?

My guess on that question? Because 14 yr. old boys do not consider risks involved in crawling inside of a chimney

If I lived across from what I knew to be an unoccupied house and MY KID turned up missing and LE did not gain access to that house to conduct a full search, I would personally track down the owner and make an urgent plea to have that house searched to eliminate it. Otherwise, it would remain an unaddressed issue in my mind and I couldn't live with it.

Me? If I asked LE to search a certain location and they deemed it unnecessary? I would do it myself, even if I had to break and enter to do it.

 

[Meloni88]

The cops cannot break into a locked home because a 14 yr old has been reported missing, or perhaps a runaway. They repeatedly asked everyone to search their properties.

They looked at the exterior of this home and found no signs that anyone had been trying to enter the home. Should they have climbed on the roof and looked inside the chimney? Maybe. IDK.

The child would have been deceased already, even if they had done so. Sad but true.

Surely they could contact the owner and ask for permission though? It just seem so obvious to me... it's a logical place for him to be especially considering his habit of not coming home at night.
It's beside the point that he would have been dead already, they didn't know that. He could have been alive and just injured or hiding from everyone.

 

[TropicalTapioca]

I am surprised dogs did not pick up a scent around the house. Also do we know if he was alone when he went to the house ?

I don’t think the suspect anyone else, but who knows?

I believe when he left his house at 6 am that morning, was seen at 6:08, that he went straight to the house... maybe he didn’t even have the plans to go there. Maybe he just noticed the antenna or maybe he went to scope out the place for a 2 week hideaway?

Does anyone know if the parent of his friend, spoke out on what time he left and why? My heart just breaks not only for Harley, his parents, friends, teachers, but the guilt that parent must have, if indeed he was sent home.