WYOMING, Mich. (WOOD) — The mother of a 16-year-old Wyoming High School student who authorities say was murdered by two teens is speaking out for the first time.
“He was a handsome young man, beautiful inside and out,” Michael White’s mother, Kelly Hogan, said in a statement sent to 24 Hour News 8 on Tuesday.
The body of White was discovered at Lions Park in Wyoming on March 19. Police have not yet released the precise cause of death, but say he had injuries to his head and multiple weapons were used in the homicide.
“I cannot comprehend what my son went through. What happened to him was absolutely senseless,” Hogan said.
Carlos Delgado and Quentin Schafer, both 15-years-old, were charged as adults in the murder case.
“I cannot speak about the pending cases against my son’s killers except to say that I hope and pray for justice for Mikey with punishment being at the full measure of the law, and then whatever God has in store for them regarding their spiritual judgement,” Hogan said.
Hogan says she doesn’t know one of the suspects and the other had been to her house twice, but was not a close friend with her son.
“This wasn’t a person my son hung around with regularly because I would have heard his name more often and he would have been around like all of Mikey’s other buddies,” said Hogan.
During a candlelight vigil last week, friends remembered White as someone who always saw the good in people and was kind and generous.
“As his mother, I couldn’t be more proud or feel more honored than to know he had an impact on his community and his legacy is being a wonderful human being,” said Hogan.
Hogan released the following statement, in part, to 24 Hour News 8 on Tuesday:
“Between this and the social media buzz, the reality of what happened to my son has been inescapable. I have been numb for seven days waiting for my son to come home. He is here now in an urn because I couldn’t fathom knowing that somewhere in a cold piece of earth, my son would lay preserved in such a damaged state. He was a handsome young man, beautiful inside and out. I cannot comprehend what my son went through. What happened to him was absolutely senseless. The people that knew him know that Mikey would not and could not have done anything to bring this on himself. He was not a violent kid. He did his best to make everyone happy and he especially reached out to others that he knew were unhappy. I suspect that is what drew him to be acquainted with at least one of his killers.
It has been insinuated in news reports that my son was acquainted with at least one of his killers. Just to clarify that, I will say that one of them was at my house last fall on two occasions very briefly. I am unaware of how often they might have seen each other beyond this. This wasn’t a person my son hung around with regularly because I would have heard his name more often and he would have been around like all of Mikey’s other buddies. I know next to nothing about the other killer except what precedes him in reputation. I always told Mikey that he needed to be careful and that I was worried about him being out in the world. I felt he was naïve because he didn’t seem to realize that not everyone had the best intentions. Mikey saw the good in people, no matter how slight, and some people took advantage of that. Mikey had over 100 people at his candlelight vigil and over 300 people at his funeral. I think that’s a great testimony for his own goodness. As his mother, I couldn’t be more proud or feel more honored than to know he had an impact on his community and his legacy is being a wonderful human being.
At this point, I am extremely sad and extremely angry. I cannot speak about the pending cases against my son’s killers except to say that I hope and pray for justice for Mikey with punishment being at the full measure of the law, and then whatever God has in store for them regarding their spiritual judgment.
Sincerely,
Kelly Hogan”
Online:
Michael White GiveForward memorial account
