Police: death of Sam (17) is a fatal accident, no traces of crime

update17-year-old Sam from Overveen (North Holland), whose body was found Friday afternoon in the Leidsevaart in Haarlem, died in a fatal accident. He fell into the water and drowned, the police said after an investigation. The investigation revealed no evidence of a crime, police said.

The boy was reported missing by his family on Thursday. He got on his bike around 1 a.m. on Thursday in Heemstede, about 5 kilometers from his hometown, but he never arrived home. The police and hundreds of volunteers conducted a search.

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Emergency services are searching for the missing Sam Hooftman on the Leidsevaart. (ANP/LAURENS BOSCH) © ANP

Dozens of tips also came in. ‘We are very concerned. Have you seen Sam?” his mother wrote on Instagram. Due to the seriousness of the situation, the police had also sent out a citizen network report. Well-known Dutch Beau van Erven Dorens, an acquaintance of the family, and Leontine Borsato shared a call on social media to look out for Sam. “This is not for Sam”, his mother, Babs Schipper, told NH News.

Nightmare

A body was found in the Leidsevaart on Friday afternoon and on Friday evening the police announced that it was the missing boy.

“The nightmare has become reality,” the family wrote that day. “Sam was found today in the Leidsevaart. We will go to him as soon as possible. We want to express our incredible thanks to everyone who has helped us and supported us. Now we want to say goodbye to Sam in peace and we hope you respect our privacy.”