Naval Academy midshipman's cause of death 'not yet determined,' medical examiner says

Chevall Pryce, The Baltimore Sun on Oct 14, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

BALTIMORE — The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said Tuesday that a cause has not been determined in the death of a 20-year-old midshipman at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis.

Midshipman Second Class Kyle Philbert James, of Whippany, New Jersey, was reported missing on Oct. 9 before he was found dead a day later. His remains were recovered near the Naval Academy on Friday.

“The cause and manner have not yet been determined,” Stephanie Moore, public information officer for the Chief Medical Examiner, said in an email to The Baltimore Sun.

The state medical examiner’s office did not provide a timeline for when autopsy results will be available.

Philbert James’ mother said she received a call from the Naval Academy on Thursday informing her that her son had been absent from his classes, according to a report by WFSB-3. His mother said that she had received text messages that morning from her son, who had responded to a message by telling her he loved her.

Philbert James, a member of the 36th Company, was a history major and a singer in the USNA Gospel Choir.

In a statement Sunday, the Naval Academy called the midshipman’s death a “tremendous loss.”

“It is painful to lose a member of our Naval Academy family, and as we attempt to better understand this tremendous loss, we offer our deepest condolences to Philbert James’ family, close friends, classmates and company mates during this extremely difficult time,” the academy said in the statement.

________