A body believed to be that of the missing North Carolina boy with autism was found Thursday, the FBI said, ending a nearly weeklong search for the 6-year-old who vanished in a park while he was with his father.
Maddox Ritch's body was located around 1 p.m. near Rankin Lake Park, where he was first reported missing by his father, Ian Ritch, on Saturday. A resident who lives in the area told FOX46 people asked authorities if they had searched a specific area near the park.
"With heavy hearts we announce a body believed to be 6-year-old Maddox Ritch was found at approximately 1 p.m. off of Marietta Street/Old Dallas Highway in Gastonia. Maddox’s parents have been notified of the discovery. The investigation is ongoing," FBI Charlotte announced Thursday.
A body believed to be of Maddox Ritch was found in Gastonia, North Carolina. (Gastonia Police Department)
Ritch said Maddox, who had nonverbal autism, ran ahead of him and disappeared from his view while they were in the park, about 20 miles west of Charlotte. Ritch was with another friend, who has not been identified.
“I’m not eating. I’m not sleeping,” Ritch said at a Wednesday night news conference with Gastonia police and the FBI. “I’m just worried about getting my little boy back. I thought after the first night, he would be fine."
Maddox's mother, Carrie Ritch, also pleaded for the safe return of her son.
Maddox Ritch was at Rankin Lake Park in Saturday when he went missing. (FBI Charlotte)
"Maddox is my whole world and my reason for living," she tearfully said in a news conference.
Hundreds of officials — consisting of the FBI, Gastonia police and Gastonia fire department — scavenged the park in the last six days looking for Maddox. The FBI offered a $10,000 reward for information, and on Thursday, officials expanded their search to include the marshlands and the woods nearby.
The FBI dive team was deployed Thursday to search the lake.
MISSING NORTH CAROLINA BOY WITH AUTISM WASN'T SEEN AT PARK, WORKER WHO CALLED 911 SAYS
The message on the sign in front of the Greater Gaston Baptist Association office. (AP)
Police released on Wednesday the 911 call that was made after Maddox was reported missing. Park employee Rick Foxx is heard telling the dispatcher that Maddox’s parents and officials “searched everywhere” for the child, FOX46 reported.
"The parents are out here looking,” the park employee says.
Foxx also told CBS News on Wednesday that Ritch and his friend didn’t seem concerned about the missing child.
"It didn't look as though, they were that concerned," Foxx told CBS News, referring to Ritch and the friend. "I've worked there almost three years and we see everybody come in and out of that park pretty much. I didn't see that kid one time."
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Maddox Ritch's body was located around 1 p.m. near Rankin Lake Park, where he was first reported missing by his father, Ian Ritch, on Saturday. A resident who lives in the area told FOX46 people asked authorities if they had searched a specific area near the park.
"With heavy hearts we announce a body believed to be 6-year-old Maddox Ritch was found at approximately 1 p.m. off of Marietta Street/Old Dallas Highway in Gastonia. Maddox’s parents have been notified of the discovery. The investigation is ongoing," FBI Charlotte announced Thursday.
A body believed to be of Maddox Ritch was found in Gastonia, North Carolina. (Gastonia Police Department)
Ritch said Maddox, who had nonverbal autism, ran ahead of him and disappeared from his view while they were in the park, about 20 miles west of Charlotte. Ritch was with another friend, who has not been identified.
“I’m not eating. I’m not sleeping,” Ritch said at a Wednesday night news conference with Gastonia police and the FBI. “I’m just worried about getting my little boy back. I thought after the first night, he would be fine."
Maddox's mother, Carrie Ritch, also pleaded for the safe return of her son.
Maddox Ritch was at Rankin Lake Park in Saturday when he went missing. (FBI Charlotte)
"Maddox is my whole world and my reason for living," she tearfully said in a news conference.
Hundreds of officials — consisting of the FBI, Gastonia police and Gastonia fire department — scavenged the park in the last six days looking for Maddox. The FBI offered a $10,000 reward for information, and on Thursday, officials expanded their search to include the marshlands and the woods nearby.
The FBI dive team was deployed Thursday to search the lake.
MISSING NORTH CAROLINA BOY WITH AUTISM WASN'T SEEN AT PARK, WORKER WHO CALLED 911 SAYS
The message on the sign in front of the Greater Gaston Baptist Association office. (AP)
Police released on Wednesday the 911 call that was made after Maddox was reported missing. Park employee Rick Foxx is heard telling the dispatcher that Maddox’s parents and officials “searched everywhere” for the child, FOX46 reported.
"The parents are out here looking,” the park employee says.
Foxx also told CBS News on Wednesday that Ritch and his friend didn’t seem concerned about the missing child.
"It didn't look as though, they were that concerned," Foxx told CBS News, referring to Ritch and the friend. "I've worked there almost three years and we see everybody come in and out of that park pretty much. I didn't see that kid one time."
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/09/2...utism-found-fbi-says.html?cmpid=googextension
