A body pulled from a pond at an industrial park Tuesday morning in Elyria has been identified as 19-year-old Jordan Ault of Elyria Township.

Elyria police Lt. Andy Eichenlaub confirmed the body found by workers in the area was that of Ault, who was last heard from around 3 a.m. April 10 on Lake Avenue near the railroad tracks.

Eichenlaub said police received a call about 9:45 a.m. about a possible drowning and responded along with the Elyria Fire Department to 745 Leo Bullocks Parkway.

There, rescuers found Ault submerged up to his head in the small retaining pond.

Lorain County Coroner Paul Matus said it is likely Ault has been in the pond since he went missing. His cause of death is under investigation, but early tests show the cause likely was freshwater drowning that took place soon after he disappeared.

Still, he is waiting on the results of additional tests, including a toxicology test, before making an official ruling, Matus said.

Ault was reported missing 10 days earlier by his mother, Stephanie Watt, who told police her son was riding in a car driven by his girlfriend when he suddenly told her to pull over. He jumped from the vehicle and took off on foot behind Paul's Beverage Warehouse.

Ault's girlfriend, Caitlin Cohagen, of Elyria, called Watt when Ault fled her car and was unable to catch up with him.

On April 10, Watt went to the Lorain County Sheriff's Officer to report her son missing. The next day, she and friends began searching the area, passing out fliers and turning to the Internet to spread the word about her son's disappearance.

A Facebook group was formed called "Find Jordan Ault." It offered virtual support to Watt in her search. On Tuesday afternoon, the site turned into a memorial page where people were leaving messages of condolence to the family.

The area near the industrial park is an area that friends of Ault searched last week.

Eichenlaub said there were no signs of foul play and no obvious injury to Ault's body.

Eichenlaub said the gate to the property had been left open but it is unknown how Ault wound up in the water.

As family and friends sat around Watt's Elyria Township home, a friend called to say they had heard over a police scanner a drowning victim was being pulled from the lake, said Watt's sister, who only wanted to be identified as Dawn.

Watt rushed to the area. She, along with friends and family of Ault, gathered on a bridge overlooking the gated property before police cleared the area.

"We are in such shock, and this is so surreal for us," Dawn said. "We are a family in mourning right now."

Watt declined to comment Tuesday.

Earlier, she described her son as artistic and loving. He liked to skateboard, play bass guitar and video games and hang out in her bedroom on her computer, she had said.

Funeral services for Ault are being handled by Bauer-Laubenthal Funeral Home.