Chicago teen dies after apparent beating

  

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A Chicago teenager died after he was apparently beaten.

The body of 16-year-old John Mendoza was found in a South Side alley Monday. His father says Mendoza left Gage Park High School because of the violence there.

Mendoza was attending classes at Job Corps on South Kedzie. His father usually drove his son to school but was in the hospital for knee surgery. He spoke to Mendoza Monday as he was leaving to go to school. Several hours later, he learned his son was dead.

"I lost a nephew and stuff like that but none of my own. I always thought it happened to that family, it's not going to happen to mine. But you can't think like that no more," said Jose Mendoza, father.

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