The president of the Young Democrats of Maryland was found dead in Washington, D.C., more than a week after he went missing in Maryland.
The cause of his death has not been announced, and the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington is leading the investigation
Prince George’s County police announced the death of Joseph Kitchen on Sunday night, a day after the department asked for the public’s help in locating him. Kitchen, 34, had been missing since Aug. 8, when he was last seen at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis, Maryland, about 37 miles east of Washington.
The following week he participated in a Zoom meeting, according to NBC 4 Washington.
“We are saddened to learn of the tragic and untimely passing of Joseph Kitchen,” the Young Democrats of America said in a Twitter post Sunday night. “Joseph always pushed YDA to live up to its values and was someone who was not satisfied with accepting the status quo. His passion will be deeply missed.”
We are saddened to learn of the tragic and untimely passing of Joseph Kitchen.
Joseph always pushed YDA to live up to its values and was someone who was not satisfied with accepting the status quo. His passion will be deeply missed.
We express our deepest condolences.
— Young Democrats of America (@youngdems) August 16, 2020
The Young Democrats’ group, which is open to registered Democrats who are less than 36 years old, had posted a missing person flyer that seeks information about Kitchen for his parents and brother.
The Maryland Democratic Party also expressed condolences on Twitter, saying Kitchens was “a kind heart that has impacted so many.”
With a heavy heart, we are sad to say that Joseph Kitchen has passed.
Joseph Kitchen was the President of the Young Democrats of Maryland. A kind heart that has impacted so many.
Rest in peace, Joseph Kitchen. pic.twitter.com/VapF0cH4SJ
— 🗳 Maryland Democratic Party🗳 (@mddems) August 16, 2020
Condolences from Maryland politicians across the state poured in after learning of Kitchen’s death.
“I’m stunned,” former gubernatorial candidate Ben Jealous said. “He was such a good public servant and so young.”
“I am terribly sad to learn of the loss of Joseph Kitchen,” Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-M.D., said. “This is a brutal time we inhabit and the loss of this wonderful young man will be another dreadful milestone in our age of bitter hardship.”
The Associated Press contributed to this article