Joseph was last seen on CCTV in the Scotswood House area of Thornaby
The body of 19-year-old Joseph Porch, who had been missing since April 22, was recovered from the River Tees on April 29 during a coordinated search operation, police have confirmed.Joseph, also known as Joey, was last seen on CCTV in the Scotswood House area of Thornaby, near the river, before his disappearance prompted a large-scale search involving multiple emergency services.According to a report by The Sun, Joseph’s family paid an emotional tribute to their son, saying: “We will forever love him and be proud of him.”They also expressed gratitude to the teams involved in the search, adding: “Special thanks to Cleveland Police, Northumbria Police Diving Unit, Cleveland Fire and Rescue Service and Tees River Rescue in their devoted efforts to locate him.”The family further requested privacy during their time of grief, stating: “We’d like to thank our family and friends for their support and would now ask for some time for our family to take in this tragedy and remember our son at this difficult time.”Cleveland Police, in a statement also carried by The Sun, confirmed the recovery of the body. “Sadly, during the search for missing 19-year-old Joseph Porch (also known as Joey), his body was located this morning (Wednesday April 29) in the River Tees in Stockton,” a spokesperson said.“Formal identification has been carried out this afternoon. Our thoughts remain with Joseph’s family and friends at this extremely difficult time. The death is not being treated as suspicious, and a file will be prepared for the Coroner,” the statement added.Authorities in the United Kingdom have confirmed that the death is not being treated as suspicious, and a report will be prepared for the coroner.
