Authorities in Coos County confirmed Tuesday that the body of a missing 5-year-old boy was located in a pond.
Joshua James McCoy was reported missing at around 6:30 p.m. Saturday triggering an extensive search that involved nearly 100 people.
Investigators tried to locate McCoy through a phone he had on him when he left his home but to no avail.
A local pond was drained as deputies searched the property and neighboring areas with K9 units and drones but all efforts were unsuccessful.
Additional crews from several counties in Oregon and California joined in the search as detectives verified reports of a possible kidnapping.
The reports turned out to be inaccurate. On Tuesday, at around 12:30 p.m., McCoy’s body was ultimately found in a pond roughly 1.6 miles away from the boy’s home.
“It is with immense sadness that we have to report that missing Joshua McCoy has been found deceased,” the Sheriff’s Office said.
“The areas that have been searched have been very thorough and methodical due to the circumstances behind the disappearance,”
“We have had amazing support from the community in feeding all of these volunteers. Thank you to the departments and agencies assisting Coos County Sheriff’s Office.”
