New Jersey Congresswoman: I was honored to nominate Kyle to the Naval Academy; Preliminary Details Shared by Source, Academy Remains Silent
Following the sudden death of U.S. Naval Academy Midshipman Kyle Philbert James, of Whippany, NJ, Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill has released a statement, as academy officials remain silent on the investigation amid new details from a source.
“Today, we mourn the tragic passing of Kyle James, a third-year midshipman at the U.S. Naval Academy. His dedication and drive to serve his country embodied the Navy’s core values of honor, courage, and commitment, and will continue to serve as an inspiration to us all. I was proud to nominate Kyle to the Naval Academy, and he will be sorely missed by both the community at Annapolis and in New Jersey. I extend my deepest condolences to Midshipman James’ family, friends, and classmates.”
A source familiar with the investigation told Report Annapolis News that Midshipman James’ family was informed authorities found his remains at a campus-adjacent business. According to the source, officials have preliminarily characterized his death as the result of apparent self-inflicted injuries, though authorities have not confirmed this, as key questions about the circumstances remain unanswered. The academy has not respond to requests for comment.
An autopsy was performed and the results will be used to determine the official cause and manner of death.
Timeline:
On Thursday, October 9, 2025, at around 5 p.m., Midshipman James’ family was notified by Naval Academy leadership that Midshipman James had missed all of his classes that day and was being considered missing due to the unusual circumstances of his absence. His mother last spoke with him earlier that morning, according to a news report published on the YouTube channel for WFSB 3.
During the evening of Friday, October 10, 2025, the Naval Academy contacted the family of Midshipman Second Class Kyle James to inform them that his remains had been found near the Naval Academy. Academy officials subsequently shared the news with the campus leadership:
"It is with great sadness that we inform you that yesterday we lost Midshipman 2/C Kyle Philbert James. He was a member of 36th company," the announcement said. "Our notification timing to the Brigade and to you was based out of respect to his family."
According to the notification, support resources are being made available to those affected by the loss.
"The Naval Academy is deeply saddened to confirm that Midshipman Second Class (junior) Kyle Philbert James has passed. The circumstances surrounding his death are currently under investigation. Midshipman Philbert James was from Whippany, NJ, and 20 years old. He was a member of the 36th Company, a History major and participated with the USNA Gospel Choir," the academy said in a statement. "The Midshipman Development Center, Chaplain’s Center and Chain of Command are available to provide counseling and support services to midshipmen, faculty and staff. It is painful to lose a member of our Naval Academy family, and as we attempt to better understand this tremendous loss, we offer our deepest condolences to Philbert James’ family, close friends, classmates and company mates during this extremely difficult time."
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