Indiana teacher found dead in school stairwell after failing to show for pickup by relative

EAST CHICAGO, Ind. (AP) — A northwest Indiana teacher who failed to appear outside his school to be picked up by a relative was found dead in a school stairwell the next morning, police said.

Maintenance staff found Craig Jones, 47, of Gary dead Friday on the landing of a second floor stairwell at East Chicago Lighthouse Charter School, according to East Chicago police.

A preliminary investigation indicates that Jones called his family Thursday night to request a ride home about 10:30 p.m. after earlier telling them he was working late.

But when a relative arrived a short time later, Jones never came outside the school, and that person drove way after receiving no additional phone calls from him, police said in a Facebook post.

Officers were summoned about 6:40 a.m. after Jones body was discovered at the school in the city about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Chicago.

The cause of death remains under investigation by the Lake County Coroner’s Office, deputy coroner Eric Graf said Saturday.

The Lake County Prosecutor’s Homicide Task Force is also investigating, but police said Friday that “at this time, there is no reason to believe any foul play was involved.”