Wood County Father Charged with Manslaughter

ALBA — The father of a Wood County teen killed earlier this year by a gun shot wound has agreed to turn himself into authorities. Lab results conclude Loren Saunders, 16, was shot by his father George Saunders, 56, in the chest back on January 18. George Saunders no longer lives in Wood County, but agreed to surrender on a warrant for manslaughter.

Back in May, Wood County officials said the circumstances surrounding the teen’s death were suspicious after he was found with a single gunshot wound to the chest. Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the residence at Chaney Point RV Park on County Road 1590 after Saunders’ father reported his son had been shot and he was doing CPR on him.

The case was turned over to the Wood County District Attorney’s Office for further investigation after the medical examiner’s office said evidence didn’t add up to the death being considered accidental. At the time, investigator William Burge said Saunders’ cause of death was ruled accidental, because Saunders’ father told authorities he caught him playing with the handgun.