A tragic incident unfolded at a Texas high school on Thursday morning when a young woman’s body was discovered hanging from a tree, leading to the immediate cancellation of classes, according to local law enforcement. The grim discovery was made by staff members at Travis Early College High School in South Austin just before the start of the school day, which was only the fourth day of the new academic year.
The Austin Independent School District Police Chief, Wayne Sneed, confirmed the incident during a press briefing. Emergency services were alerted and upon arrival, they found the body of a young woman hanging from a tree near the back of the school building. The victim, believed to be between 15 and 20 years old by local medical examiners, was pronounced dead at approximately 7:55 a.m.
The identity of the young woman remains unknown as officials await the medical examiner’s report to determine the cause of death. The discovery of the body led to the cancellation of classes around 8:30 a.m. on Thursday. At the time, students were either already on campus for extracurricular activities or en route to the school.
The location of the body, near a staff parking lot at the rear of the campus, meant that students were largely shielded from the distressing scene. Chief Sneed assured that no students were in the vicinity of the crime scene.
Travis Early College High School had only just commenced the 2023-2024 academic year on Monday. The swift action of the staff ensured the area was secured promptly, preventing any students from entering the immediate vicinity of the crime scene.
The school district issued a statement assuring that the campus remains safe and there is no ongoing threat to students or staff. It remains unclear whether the deceased was a student at the high school.
The school district has pledged to provide continuous support for staff and students in the aftermath of the incident. Further information is expected to be released by a spokesperson for the school district as the investigation into the incident continues.