Camper’s death ruled accidental

• An Albany man’s death during an early March camping trip has been declared an accident.
• Coroner Scott Hahn said Benjamin Anderson died of exposure on a bitterly cold night.
• Toxicology tests produced no evidence Anderson ingested anything that caused his death.

ALBANY – The death of an Albany man who died during an early March camping trip has been ruled an accident by Delaware County Coroner Scott Hahn.

Hahn said the cause of 25-year-old Benjamin L. Anderson’s death was exposure to the elements.

Toxicology tests revealed no evidence Anderson had ingested anything that would have caused his death, the coroner added.

Authorities said Anderson went camping, along the Mississinewa River near Albany, on the night of March 6-7, when temperatures dropped near zero degrees.

On March 13, Albany Police Chief Shannon Henry was advised Anderson had not been seen for several days. That report prompted several extensive searches of the area.

The Albany man’s remains were found on March 23 in a wooded area along the river, near Delaware County Road 800-E and Edgewater Road.

Authorities determined Anderson had set up camp on land that would later be covered by water, as the Mississinewa spilled over its banks due to heavy rains and snow melting. His body was found only after the river water receded.

Jim Clevenger, a Delaware County deputy coroner, said that week there was “no obvious evidence of foul play, that anyone harmed (Anderson) or that he harmed himself.”

Henry said Anderson had “built a shelter out of limbs and leaves.”

Contact news reporter Douglas Walker at (765) 213-5851. You can also follow him on Twitter @DouglasWalkerSP.