Students on field trip find body on AT

[SavageLlama]

Wow. This news today has got to top the craziest year of trail-related oddities...


Students on field trip find body along Appalachian Trail
Associated Press
Wed, Oct. 19, 2005

DELAWARE WATER GAP, Pa. - A group of seventh-graders hiking the Appalachian Trail as part of a school field trip stumbled on the body of a fugitive who had been shot in the head, authorities said.


Police identified the man as Russell Aaron Good Jr., 45, of Allentown, who was wanted by Allentown police on a rape charge. Good died of a gunshot wound to the head, according to the Monroe County coroner's office.

State police are investigating the death. Investigators did not immediately return a phone call Wednesday.


A group of about 140 students at Bangor Area Middle School, six staff members and at least six parents were nearing the end of their hike in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area on Tuesday when several adults spotted Good's body about 1 p.m.

"It looked very much like he was sleeping," said Traci Rumsey, a language arts teacher at the middle school. "We got the kids out of there, and I contacted the principal, and he took over from there."

Rumsey said the body was found on a ledge.

Bangor Area School District Superintendent John Reinhart said some students saw the body "from a distance." He said two students and several of the adults became upset by the discovery, and counselors were made available.

The 7.7-mile hike is held annually as part of the school's life science program. Students identify plants and trees, learn about the geology of the Delaware Water Gap and discuss American Indians, then write about the experience.

# # #

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/103-10192005-557417.html

[the goat]

The 7.7-mile hike is held annually as part of the school's life science program.....

anyone else see the irony?

[orangebug]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the adults needing a counselor for getting upset over seeing the body. By the percentages, these kids sound pretty good by comparison.

[FFTorched]

Yeah, but I see more humor in the fact that they called the principal before the police. The kids will definately have something to write about this year.

[rickb]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the adults needing a counselor for getting upset over seeing the body. By the percentages, these kids sound pretty good by comparison.

OB, I honestly cant undertand why you would say this. Really, do you know anything about trauma?

My God, how can you be confused about such a thing!!!!!!

Those adults obvioulsy good outdoorsmen who were agast at a blatent disrespect of LNT ethics in a National Recreation Area.

[Spartan Hiker]

OB, I honestly cant undertand why you would say this. Really, do you know anything about trauma?

My God, how can you be confused about such a thing!!!!!!

Those adults obvioulsy good outdoorsmen who were agast at a blatent disrespect of LNT ethics in a National Recreation Area.

LOL! Now THAT was funny!

[CynJ]

OB, I honestly cant undertand why you would say this. Really, do you know anything about trauma?

My God, how can you be confused about such a thing!!!!!!

Those adults obvioulsy good outdoorsmen who were agast at a blatent disrespect of LNT ethics in a National Recreation Area.

lmao......

[Skeemer]

rickboundrie wrote:
Those adults obvioulsy good outdoorsmen who were agast at a blatent disrespect of LNT ethics in a National Recreation Area.

That's funny.

Anybody know where Lone Wolf's been hiking lately...he's the only guy I know that totes a gun on the AT. Are they offering a reward for tips?

BTW, This sounds like the same place they caught the fellow that ran over and killed the highway patrolman in '03

[Lone Wolf]

I have a rock solid alibi. Although whacking a rapist would do my soul good.

[SGT Rock]

So if LWolf didn't bag him. Which one of us did

[Frosty]

anyone else see the irony?

Not to be a pain in the butt (too late, I know) but this isn't irony. It is funny, though, and cute. It would be ironic if the students went into the woods to recover emotionally from having to deal with death and then found a body, but the pairing of a dead body and the students being in life science isn't ironic, merely coincidental.

[SGT Rock]

But it would be a good line to add to that Alanis Morisette song:

It's like rain on your weding day,
A free ride when you already paid.
A dead body on a life scienc field trip...

And who would of though it figured?

[SavageLlama]

LW- you've been cleared. Apparently he committed suicide..


Death of Man Found by Students Ruled Suicide
WFMZ-TV Online, PA Story posted on 2005-10-19 19:12:00

A DISTURBING FIND FOR A GROUP OF STUDENTS ON A FIELD TRIP HAS BEEN RULED A CASE OF SUICIDE.

A MAN'S BODY WAS DISCOVERED YESTERDAY DURING A BANGOR AREA MIDDLE SCHOOL TRIP TO THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL IN MONROE COUNTY.

THE CORONER SAYS THAT MAN-- RUSSELL GOOD JUNIOR---KILLED HIMSELF.

ALLENTOWN POLICE WERE SEARCHING FOR GOOD IN CONNECTION WITH A RAPE.

GRIEF COUNSELORS WERE AT THE BANGOR AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT TODAY TO TALK WITH STUDENTS.

[hikerjohnd]

Didn't attroll just post that we should be more respectful of incidents like this on the trail?

And rickboudrie - I'm still laughing about the LNT comment - that's hilarious!