Police say a McKinney Boyd High School student whose body was found Thursday morning in a drainage ditch died of suicide.[[298478171,L]]

The boy, identified by his family as 14-year-old Raymond “Junior” Howell, was found near Eldorado Parkway and S. Stonebridge Drive at about 8 a.m.

The McKinney Independent School District confirmed he was a student at the high school.

In a statement, Howell's family said:



"We want to thank our friends, family and the public for the outpouring of support that we have received regarding the loss of our son and brother, Raymond “Junior” Howell. Even at the tender age of 14, Raymond lived a life of love, strong values and integrity that some people never fully experience. As a family, we ask that you give us the peace, privacy and time that we need to grieve and move through this tragedy. Our hope is that it one day allows for a truly meaningful conversation … and more importantly real change for the way we treat others in our schools and throughout our communities."