Brother and sister of man found dead in Brooklyn Park pond frustrated over police investigation
A man who had been missing for more than two months has been found dead and police in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, have arrested his friend as the leading suspect.
Investigators found the body of Jontae Lee on Tuesday in a drainage pond in a city. His siblings told WCCO on Friday that what's being said about their brother does not reflect what they experienced.
Lee had been missing since March 11. The Brooklyn Park Police Department said they were called to a disturbance at 70th and Maryland avenues north. In a press release, the agency said that officers "learned that two friends, both men, had been in a disagreement and one, identified as Lee, had left the scene on foot."
Police said that Lee had attacked the other man before leaving. Family says there is no way Lee was the aggressor.
"He was kind, he was loving, he was giving, he was caring, he was everything a person should be," said Kevantae Davis, Lee's brother.
Police said they searched for Lee for two months, detailing an extensive investigation.
Lee's family said they struggled to get information from law enforcement and told them their theory about where he was.
"We kept telling them from night one that my brother was in that pond. We told them over and over and over again. They actually told us they did check the pond and that they did have divers out checking the pond. And now we found out that he was here that whole time, " said Khamena Watford, Lee's sister.
His body was found more than two months later in a drainage pond close to where they were called for the disturbance in March.
Police on Thursday arrested Lee's friend in connection with the disturbance on probable cause of murder.
"They showed no compassion to us whatsoever. No compassion, " said Watford.
Lee's siblings said they felt that because of his past addiction issues, investigators showed no urgency in their efforts to find him.
"Jontae, he was a giving spirit, " said Davis.
His siblings said the man behind bars was no stranger to them.
"The boy who was actually involved, he was living here, " Davis said.
Davis said Lee was trying to help him because he had nowhere to go.
Now, Lee's siblings are planning a funeral and searching for justice for the young man who treated everyone he met like family.
WCCO has reached out to Brooklyn Park police, but has yet to hear back.
