Johnson Redhead, a six-year-old boy, who went missing in the Shamattawa First Nation in northeastern Manitoba last Wednesday, was found dead, reported CBC News.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) confirmed the discovery late Sunday evening, with his body located in a marshy area about three-and-a-half kilometres from the school where he was last seen.
Johnson had attended a breakfast programme at the school on Wednesday morning but never made it to class, prompting a large-scale search involving local community members, volunteers, and police. The search continued for several days before coming to a devastating conclusion.
The RCMP expressed their condolences in a statement: "We extend our deepest condolences to his family, the community of Shamattawa First Nation, and to everyone grieving his loss."
The search effort included multiple First Nations communities, including members from Manto Sipi Cree Nation, Pimicikamak Cree Nation, and Tataskweyak Cree Nation, alongside RCMP Search and Rescue, the Office of the Fire Commissioner, and local community members. Johnson's family was also actively involved in the search.
Earlier in the day, the RCMP had detailed the scale of the search, which included grid searches by multiple teams equipped with GPS, along with the use of helicopters,
drones with infrared capabilities, and a police dog. Searchers combed through wooded areas, trails, roads, and construction equipment, and conducted door-to-door checks in the hopes of finding the boy alive.
On Saturday, tracks spotted near gravel pits had given searchers a potential lead, though it remained uncertain whether they were Johnson's. Sadly, despite the extensive efforts, the search came to a heartbreaking end.
The entire community of Shamattawa First Nation now mourns the loss of the young boy, as the investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death continues.