The body of 19-year-old Antwain McDaniel from Elon, North Carolina, was discovered at the bottom of Haw River Wedesday afternoon. His mother, Angela Kimber, says the boys her son was with have given her different stories about what happened after they all ran from the police early Sunday morning.
The search for 19-year-old Antwain McDaniel, who was reported missing on Sunday in Alamance County, has ended. Angela Kimber, the mother of Antwain, was notified by the police that her son was found dead in the Haw River, Wednesday afternoon.
One person, Eddie Rogers has been apprehended. He was charged with six counts of felony breaking and entering a motor vehicle and is in jail under a $450,000 secured bond.
McDaniel had not been in contact with his family since the incident. His mother, Angela Kimber, expressed distrust toward the individuals who were with her son.
Angela told The North Carolina Beat that she spoke to her son all day on Friday and again on Saturday. She said that after she sent him a text late on Saturday evening, she never heard from him again but didn’t think much of his lack of response, assuming he was probably busy or occupied with something else.
When Sunday arrived, Angela mentioned that she hadn’t heard from her son at all. She said she had spent the night with her boyfriend Saturday night and went to work the next morning. Around 7 p.m. on Sunday night, while at work, Angela received a text message from one of Antwain’s friends that addressed her as “Yo”.
“I sent them back a question mark because I didn’t know who it was,” Angela said.
Angela told The North Carolina Beat that the number had called her but she missed the call and quickly called back. She said her son’s friend asked if she or anybody had heard from Antwain before he told her that him, Antwain and two others were allegedly breaking into cars, had fled from the police, crashed the car, and then ran.
“This was the first time I had learned anything about my son getting into any trouble or running from the police,” Angela said. “I didn’t know anything until Sunday night when I received that text and phone call.”
She said that the friend mentioned that while they were running from the police, they had gotten into some water. Angela said he also told her that if she hadn’t heard from Antwain yet, it was probably because he was still out there, possibly in the water.
“At that point, I got off work. I don’t even want to work anymore because I need to find my baby,” Angela said.
Angela called the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office and was informed about the crash and her son and his friends fleeing. She said the police were searching for them as fleeing suspects and asked if she had heard from her son. Angela said she informed the sheriff’s office that she needed to file a missing persons report because she had not heard from her son.
She said the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office told her that Rogers claimed Antwain was in Greensboro and advised her to file the report there. Once in Greensboro at the police department, Angela stated that she was informed by Greensboro Police that Alamance County Sheriff’s Office said they would file the missing person report for Antwain.
“You’re listening to a person telling you all that my son is in Greensboro, but y’all seen four boys get out of the car in Alamance?” Angela said.
‘HELP’!
The two other men who were in the car with Antwain have been identified as Kemonte Crosby, and Tremain Armstrong.
Angela told The North Carolina Beat that Kemonte told another boy who was in the car with them that while they were trying to stay hidden from the police, Antwain was yelling ‘Help’ from the water, but they left him.
“Kemonte told one of the other boys in the car that my son was in the water yelling ‘help’ but they kept on running because the police were behind them,” said Angela.
Angela mentioned that the boys have provided multiple conflicting accounts and alleged that Rogers pushed Antwain into the water.
“They trying to blame a man that’s already locked up, so it keep the heat off of them,” Angela said.
Angela attempted to locate her son by visiting the crash site on Monday. She said the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office told her to “go home”, suggesting that she could be “tampering” with evidence. The following day, the sheriff’s office conducted a search for Antwain, and according to Angela, bringing two of the men from the car to help navigate through the woods in an attempt to find him.
“The detective let the boys guide them through the woods. When they found one of the boys’ phones, they allowed him to keep it but want to prevent me from searching for my son because of some evidence.” Angela said. “I don’t give a d*mn about any evidence. Where is my son?”
On Wednesday afternoon, police were able to identify Antwain by his clothing, according to Angela. She expressed disbelief at how the boys left her son for dead when they were all crouched in the Haw River by an embankment, hiding from the police.
“I’m mad at the boys because they were supposed to be my my baby friends,” Angela said with sadness in her voice. “All of us would still be standing near that embankment…because I would never leave anyone I was riding with, hanging with, or anything.”
Crosby was charged with charged with six counts of felony breaking and entering a motor vehicle, and the Armstrong faces a juvenile petition for breaking and entering a motor vehicle.
Our hearts and prayers are with Antwain’s family and friends.
