NEOSHO COUNTY, KS —A wave of heartbreak has swept across Neosho and Labette Counties as the search for 12-year-old Kollin Showalter came to a devastating end. Kollin’s body was recovered from the Neosho River on Sunday, June 22, days after he and 16-year-old Arthur Pollreis were struck and killed by a train while walking on a railroad bridge near Erie, Kansas.
The tragic accident occurred on Wednesday, June 18, when the two boys were crossing the trestle bridge that spans the river. According to authorities, the bridge’s narrow design and lack of escape routes offered little chance for survival once the oncoming train was spotted. Engine camera footage reportedly captured the final moments, showing the boys on the bridge with almost no time to react.
While Arthur’s body was recovered shortly after the incident, Kollin remained missing, prompting an urgent multi-agency search. For four painful days, emergency crews, law enforcement, wildlife officers, and volunteers combed the river, clinging to hope and determined to bring Kollin home.
That hope turned to sorrow just after noon on Sunday, when a fisherman spotted a body in the water near the KGE Dam, a few miles south of Highway 400 in Labette County. The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) confirmed the discovery and contacted the Neosho County Sheriff’s Office. Emergency responders responded swiftly and recovered the body, which was later identified as Kollin Showalter.
A Community United in Grief
The loss of Kollin and Arthur has sent shockwaves through their small, close-knit communities. Both boys were described as bright, kind-hearted, and full of life—typical small-town kids with big dreams and loving families. Their deaths have left a profound emptiness in the lives of everyone who knew them.
Local schools, churches, and community organizations have rallied together in support of the grieving families, organizing vigils, offering counseling, and raising funds to help with final expenses. The tragedy has become a shared sorrow for residents of both Neosho and Labette Counties, a painful reminder of life’s fragility and the unpredictable nature of loss.
Sheriff Greg Taylor of Neosho County praised the efforts of all who assisted in the search, stating, “This has been an incredibly difficult time for our community. We’re grateful for everyone who came together to bring closure to the Showalter family. Our hearts are with them and with the Pollreis family as they continue to grieve.”
Remembering Kollin and Arthur
Kollin Showalter and Arthur Pollreis will be remembered not for the tragedy that claimed their lives, but for the joy, energy, and love they brought into the world. They were sons, friends, classmates, and cherished members of their communities. Their absence is deeply felt, and their memories will live on in the hearts of all who knew them.
As the families prepare to lay their boys to rest, the outpouring of love and support from across the region serves as a powerful testament to the strength of community in the face of unimaginable loss.
May Kollin and Arthur rest in eternal peace. Their lives, though brief, will never be forgotten.
