Morris Co. Man Found Dead After Disappearing From U.S. Naval Academy

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — A Morris County man who attended the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, was found dead last week after he went missing, officials said.

Kyle Philbert James, a 20-year-old midshipman from Whippany, was pronounced dead on Friday, one day after he’d been reported missing, according to authorities.

According to a report from WSFB 3, a local Baltimore station, James was reported missing after he’d been absent from his classes. Academy officials reached out to James’ mother, asking if she knew of his whereabouts, which she didn’t, according to the report.

The Capital Gazette said the academy contacted the midshipman's family on Friday to inform them that his remains had been found near the Naval Academy.

“It is painful to lose a member of our Naval Academy family, and as we attempt to better understand this tremendous loss, we offer our deepest condolences to Philbert James’ family, close friends, classmates, and company mates during this extremely difficult time,” a U.S. Naval Academy statement read.

James’ disappearance and death are currently under investigation, according to authorities. His cause of death is not clear at this time.

The Whippany man was a member of the academy’s 36th Company, a History major who participated with the USNA Gospel Choir, according to officials.