Body found in Sea Cliff Beach identified as missing teen

The body found near Sea Cliff Beach on Thursday has been identified as 17-year-old Nathan Phillips, the family told Central Coast News.

Phillips had been missing for almost two weeks after he told his family he was going on an adventure.

Saturday, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Department confirmed the identity through fingerprints and told Phillips’ mother, the family said.

The Find Nathan Facebook page posted this upon learning the news:

“Today it has been confirmed that the body found was Nathaniel Steel Phillips. My brother. An uncle. The prayers are monumental for our family, my mom, Betty, Dad and Darla all thank you for the hope, love and support shown here on this page. I will not be taking this page down. I might change the name to ‘remembering Nathan,’ and encourage all of you who are hurting as well to use the page to remember the extraordinary, beautiful souled person Nate was. I love you all, and I love you little brother.”