The bodies of two teenagers who went missing in Wisconsin last weekend have been found near the Michigan border, authorities said on Tuesday.
The Discovery
Aiden Grefe, 17, and Dakota Brown, 16, both of Merrill, were found Monday in the forest in Enterprise, the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
“We feel exposure played a factor in their deaths, but this will be determined upon completion of the investigation,” said the release by the Sheriff’s Office.
Temperatures early Sunday in the region dropped into the 20s, according to the National Weather Service Green Bay office.
Enterprise is more than an hour, or about 55 miles, south of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
The Oneida County District Attorney, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, the Lincoln County District Attorney and the Oneida County Medical Examiner’s Department are involved in the investigation, according to the release. No further details were released.
The Disappearance
The teens were last seen together Sunday near State Road 17 and Shingle Mill Road in Harrison, about 20 miles west of Enterprise, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
“It is believed Aiden and Dakota walked away from this area or were picked up by an unknown person at approximately 9AM,” officials said.
Search crews from multiple agencies searched for the youths, including with dogs and off-road vehicles.
“The area that needed to be searched was vast and all of these resources were needed,” investigators said.
The Memories
The community of Merrill is mourning the loss of two teens, who were remembered by their family and friends as caring and fun-loving.
“Aiden would do anything for the ones that he loved. He was extremely passionate for other people, including his family that he loved with every bit of his heart,” Grefe’s family said in a statement.
Davin Winzer, a childhood friend of Aiden’s, said he always checked up on him and made him laugh.
“He just always made sure to keep in contact. Keep up. See how I was doing,” Winzer said.
A family member for Dakota Brown said she was a fun-loving girl who was always happy with her family, and always looked forward to a bright future.
At Merrill High School, they brought in therapy dogs, counselors, and held a memorial for the teens.