Centennial High Boy Scout found dead at Zion National Park

The body of a Las Vegas Boy Scout who went missing this week was found in a ravine in Utah's Zion National Park on Thursday.

Corey Buxton, a 17-year-old senior at Centennial High School, was on a multi-night backpacking trip with other valley Boy Scouts when he went missing Wednesday.

A park spokesman told Utah's St. George Spectrum that his body was located about 2:30 p.m. in a ravine near where he was last seen on the Hop Valley Trail. Authorities launched a helicopter and ground search after the Eagle Scout was reported missing.

Buxton's family described the 6-foot-3-inch teen, who was born and raised in Las Vegas, as an avid lover of geography and history.

"He was my gentle giant, like a big teddy bear," said Suzanne Buxton, his mother. "He was a very gentle child."

Authorities have not said how he died. His family also has not learned what caused his death.

"We know that he was struggling a little bit just because it was a hard hike," said his sister, 21-year-old Michelle Buxton.

Corey Buxton was an experienced hiker who had earned a Boy Scout badge for wilderness survival, his family said. He had completed many hikes in Zion but had never attempted the Hop Valley Trail.

He was the youngest of four children. His family said he devoured current events and wanted to study history in college.

"Every day he would read the newspaper and would quiz someone on what happened that day," Michelle Buxton said.

He played volleyball at Centennial High School for two years. Last year, he joined the school's FIRST Robotics team, helping to design a robot that would compete against others across the country. He traveled to Dallas to vie for the national title.

His family said he was a caring boy who was very close to his family.

"We're still trying to wrap ourselves around this," Suzanne Buxton said, adding the family is struggling to accept that he is not going to walk in the front door again.

"He was a good son. I couldn't ask for a better one."