đ¨ Missing 17-Year-Old Last Seen Monday AfternoonâJust Hours Later, Search Teams Make A Heartbreaking Discovery In Woodland Near His Suffolk Home
Body Found in Woods During Search for Missing Suffolk Teenager
A body has been discovered in woodland during the search for a missing 17-year-old boy in Suffolk. Police have confirmed that the death is not being treated as suspicious.
Taryn Ellis-Allen was reported missing from Kessingland, near Lowestoft, after last being seen on Field Lane at around 3:30pm on Monday, 17 August 2026. Concern for his welfare prompted an urgent search involving Suffolk Constabulary and Suffolk Lowland Search and Rescue (SulSAR).
On Tuesday afternoon, search teams located a body in woodland off Francis Road in Kessingland. Formal identification has not yet taken place, but Tarynâs family have been informed of the discovery. A file is being prepared for the coroner.
The Search Effort
When Taryn was first reported missing, officers described him as white, approximately 5ft 8in tall, with blonde hair. He was last seen wearing a black North Face T-shirt, bright blue Adidas shorts and trainers. Police issued an appeal for information and launched a coordinated search of the local area with specialist volunteer teams.
The discovery came during systematic checks of woodland near the village. Officers and search-and-rescue volunteers had been combing the area when they made the tragic find.
Police Statement
Suffolk Constabulary said: âThe body of a teenage boy has been found in Kessingland following searches for a missing 17-year-old boy. Taryn Ellis-Allen was last seen on Field Lane at 3:30pm on Monday, 17 August. Teams from the police and Suffolk Lowland Search and Rescue (SulSAR) were conducting searches in the village yesterday late afternoon, Tuesday 18 August, when they discovered a body in woodland off Francis Road.
âNo formal identification has taken place, but Tarynâs family have been informed. The death is not being treated as suspicious, and a file will be prepared for the Coroner in due course.â
A Community Waiting for Answers
Kessingland is a coastal village in Suffolk. The sudden disappearance of a local teenager and the subsequent discovery of a body have left residents shocked and saddened. While police have stated that the death is not suspicious, the formal identification process and the coronerâs investigation will be necessary to establish the full circumstances.
For Tarynâs family, the news marks the end of agonising uncertainty and the beginning of a period of profound grief. Specialist officers will continue to support them as the formal processes move forward.
What Happens Next
Once formal identification is complete, the coroner will open an inquest into the death. At this stage, police have given no further details about the condition of the body or any other findings from the scene. The fact that the death is not being treated as suspicious suggests investigators have found no immediate evidence of third-party involvement.
Missing person searches involving teenagers often generate intense local concern. In this case, the rapid deployment of both police and specialist search teams reflects the seriousness with which the disappearance was treated from the outset. The discovery within roughly 24 hours of the last sighting has brought a swift, if tragic, conclusion to the active search phase.
As the family grieves and the coronerâs process begins, the community of Kessingland is left reflecting on the loss of a young life. Further details are expected once identification is confirmed and the initial stages of the investigation are complete.