Authorities have identified a teenager who ran away from the Abraxas youth treatment facility in Richland County last month as the victim found dead in a Columbus alley over the weekend. Columbus police confirmed that 14-year-old Brylan Butcher was discovered Saturday morning behind the 300 blocks of South Terrace and South Eureka avenues in the Hilltop area.
A 911 caller who stumbled upon the body while dumpster diving told dispatchers, “…He’s definitely dead.” Columbus Fire paramedics later pronounced the teen deceased at the scene. Police initially reported the body as that of an unidentified man who appeared to have been killed by a gunshot wound.
On Monday, Detective J.B. Brandt of the Columbus Division of Police notified the Richland County Sheriff’s Office, confirming the victim was Butcher. His name was subsequently removed from the state database, where he had been listed as a runaway, according to the Dispatch.
According to sheriff’s reports, Butcher fled the Abraxas facility on Feb. 20. Staff told deputies he ran toward Ontario, Ohio, and another teen from Painesville also escaped that night but was later found. Butcher, who had previously been in foster care in Mansfield, had a history of running away from the center. Deputies issued an alert after his disappearance.
The same day Butcher fled, a vehicle was reported stolen from Milliron Auto Recycling, located near the Abraxas facility. The vehicle was later recovered by Mansfield police. Two days after his disappearance, deputies also learned from the Ross County Sheriff’s Office that Butcher’s aunt had contacted them, saying her nephew had posted photos of himself holding a handgun on social media.
Abraxas, located on Ohio 39, describes itself as a facility offering residential treatment for adolescent males, many of whom have histories of trauma, substance abuse, or mental health disorders. Its director, Eric Dumbeck, did not respond to requests for comment following Butcher’s death.
Reports over the past two years have documented several incidents of teens escaping from Abraxas, with some accused of stealing vehicles, including a trash truck, and leading police on high-speed chases.
For now, Butcher’s death is being investigated as a homicide, though police have released no further details on possible suspects. His death underscores ongoing concerns about repeated runaways from the Abraxas facility and the risks faced by the vulnerable youth it serves.