Delano Burkes Found Deceased in Ship Channel in Houston, TX
Houston, TX -- November 25, 2022, authorities found Delano Burkes, previously missing, deceased in the bayou after he left a local bar.
Houston authorities said that Delano Burkes was last seen November 13. Surveillance shows that he left a local bar on West 20th Street in the Heights area. Weeks later, authorities found Burkes in the Houston ship channel at a spot they say was 12 miles from where he was last seen. Right now, the cause of death remains unconfirmed.
Commentary on Delano Burkes Accident in Houston
I just want to be crystal clear up front that very little is known about this tragic event, including whether or not foul play is involved. I am not here to speculate or to claim I know something others don't. The only reason I felt the need to comment on this is due to reports saying he was last seen leaving a bar. That is eerily similar to a case I handled a while back where it turned out a man lost his life because the bar in question illegally over-served him.
In that incident, the man was found dead in a deep ravine near his residence. Evidence eventually revealed that the bar he was at recklessly over-served him to the point he essentially was moving while unconscious. Despite doing the right thing by walking instead of driving, he wandered off the path and tripped down an embankment, causing fatal injuries. The bar in question was liable for his injuries under dram shop law due to their illegal actions which contributed to the man's death.
So while I certainly can't say that happened here, I simply hope authorities are experienced enough to pursue that possibility of other factors don't prove to be more pertinent. If nothing else, this man's loved ones deserve all the answers they can get.
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