Chandler Nash-Elliott, 11, is remembered by his family and friends as a boy who loved Cub Scouts, dirt bikes and inventing gadgets.

It is alleged in the community he was playing with a 7 year old child and he tied up and locked the 7 year old male child in a closet, then hung himself.

A adult male was in the home at the time, but had no idea what was going on. The 7 year old child broke out of the closet, ran home and got his mom and brought her back to the home, she called 911.

The fifth grader from Zephyr Cove Elementary was found dead on Kingsbury Grade Monday night. Officials from the Douglas County Sheriff's Office have confirmed he died by suicide. Authorities and the Tribune are looking into allegations that the boy was living in unsanitary and unsafe living conditions (for updates, keep visiting www.tahoedailytribune.com).

Marie Barstow, the boy's mother who shared joint custody with father David Elliott, called her son a “shooting star,” breaking into tears as she said he wanted to go to college and become a success.

Chandler was a Cub Scout in Pack 468 and was set to bridge to Boy Scouts in a few months.

“He's going to be missed by a lot of people,” Barstow said.

Chandler lived with his father on Kingsbury Grade and spent weekends with his mother in Virginia City. She and her husband Greg Barstow were in Arizona looking at property — leaving Chandler at home with his biological father — when a friend from South Lake Tahoe called, asking if she was alone and if she was sitting down.

Then the friend said, “It's really, really bad. It's the worst thing that can happen,” Barstow recalled.

The Barstows got into their motor home and drove for 13 hours, reaching South Lake Tahoe on Tuesday.

“He was such a ‘big' person,” Barstow said. “People couldn't forget him. He was good looking, but he wasn't conceited. He was generous. He would do anything for anybody.”

David Elliott said he was “just crushed” by his son's death.

“What a blessing he was to my life,” Elliott said by phone Wednesday.

At Zephyr Cove Elementary, the school Chandler attended since kindergarten, students and staff met with counselors from the school district to discuss their classmate's death.

“I think for the students who were closest to him, the classmates, it was utter shock and disbelief,” said Principal Nancy Cauley. “Younger students don't understand the full measure of what has happened.”

With 225 students in the elementary school, Cauley said most children knew and liked Chandler.

“This is a very small community up here,” Cauley said. “Word travels lightening fast, so it was really important that as soon as we learned of the tragedy we immediately acted to support our kids and of course our teachers.”

The students were told what Chandler did was “not OK,” Cauley said.

“We are empowering them to talk to people that they know and trust, and to make those people listen to them if they have problems,” she said.

Cauley remembered the 11-year-old as someone who loved his dirt bike, sledding and the outdoors.

“He had a great sense of humor and was very dynamic,” Cauley said. “I perceived him as a leader.

“It just breaks my heart,” she added.

A memorial service is planned for 11 a.m. Saturday at Tahoe Community Church, 145 Daggett Way. Donations can be made to Boy Scout Troop 468.