Body of missing 2-year-old discovered in Michigan river

LANSING, Mich. — The body of a 2-year-old child who had gone missing in Michigan was found in a river on Tuesday, authorities said.

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According to the Michigan State Police and Clinton County Sheriff Sean Dush, Jermaine Jones, of Watertown Township, was found by divers in the Looking Glass River north of Lansing at about 4 p.m. EDT, WILX-TV reported.

According to a news release from the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office, the child, who was autistic and nonverbal, wandered away from his home at about 2 p.m. EDT on Monday.

The boy’s age had been variously reported as 2 or 3, but Dush confirmed that the toddler was a 2-year-old, the Lansing State Journal reported.

Authorities said the boy allegedly walked away from the home while his babysitter was taking a shower, WLNS-TV reported.

The babysitter told investigators she was in the shower for less than 10 minutes when the boy disappeared, according to the television station.

Police had deployed tracking dogs, drones, thermal imaging, boats, and civilian search crews that totaled nearly 500 people while searching for the boy, WILX reported.

Overnight temperatures in the search area were in the low 40s, according to WLNS.

There was no indication of foul play, Dush told reporters earlier Tuesday.

“Please pray for the family during this tragic time,” the sheriff’s office said.