The Berkeley County Coroner has confirmed that the body of 20-year-old old Jules Dickson Mappus, Jr. of Mount Pleasant was found floating in the Wando River just after 5:30pm this evening.
News 2 was there as the man’s body was removed from the water, and later talked with the 12-year-old boy who made the gruesome discovery.
Police pulled the body out of the river just before 7:00pm.
Tonight, a young boy explained his reaction to what he was seeing in the water.
“At first I was like, ‘Is he alive, or is he dead?'” said 12-year-old Cameron Douglas, who lives on Daniel Island, and made the discovery around the corner from his house. “I was just walking by the shoreline and I noticed this body that appeared to be washed up. It was not moving, so I went to a neighbor’s house and I asked them to call 911.”
Cameron’s father said he was stunned to hear what his son had found.
“I think I had to ask if I heard it correctly. For something like that to occur so close…it was a little shocking, to say the least. I was a little concerned about Cameron’s psyche after seeing something like that – but he’s a very mature kid for his age so he did the right thing and went to a neighbor’s house and asked them to call 911.”
Mappus had been missing since February 27th, after his car was found empty at the top of the Ravenel Bridge in the early morning hours the night after his disappearance.
Hundreds attended a vigil for Mappus last Saturday, and his family told News 2 that if the worst did come true, Jules will never really be gone, and that his memory will live on through his family and friends.
