A body of a “young person” was found underneath the north side of the Belwood bridge today.
Police are not confirming the identity of the body, but many people involved in the search for 3-year-old Kaden Young, including family members, were gathered at the scene.
The bridge is about 11km downstream from where the boy went missing two months ago.
“The body was discovered at 3pm today by a fisherman underneath the bridge,” said Dufferin OPP Cst. Paul Nancekivell.
“They called Wellington County OPP immediately. Because originally this is a Dufferin OPP case … we were called down here because we have a missing boy in our area.”
Nancekivell said the body will be taken to the coroner’s office in Toronto and he expects the identity to be released after an autopsy is performed.
OPP shut down Wellington Road 26 for about four hours on Saturday for the investigation. Victim Services from both Wellington and Dufferin Counties were on scene to assist the young male fisherman who discovered the body.
“It’s been a long process for people searching down here. We’re hopeful this is who we’re looking for,” said Nancekivell.
The search for Young has been ongoing since his disappearance, involving hundreds of volunteers and the police.
“We had divers here yesterday, unfortunately we couldn’t get in the water due to the ice pack,” said Nancekivell, adding the OPP helicopter has been searching the Grand River at least once a week.
Young went missing on Feb. 21 after he was swept out of his mother’s grasp when the vehicle they were in was swept into the Grand River by fast-moving flood waters on the 10th Line near Waldemar. A significant amount of rainfall between Feb. 19 and 22 closed roads and caused flooding along the Grand River.
Stands of blue lights and ribbons were set up along the Belwood bridge and stuffed animals were fastened to poles in the area.
