A six-year-old boy who had been missing in a northeastern Manitoba First Nation since Wednesday has been found dead, RCMP say.
Searchers in Shamattawa First Nation found Johnson Redhead dead around 7:45 p.m. on Sunday night, Manitoba RCMP said in a news release. His body was found in a marshy area, about three-and-a-half kilometres from the school where he was last seen, according to the release.
Johnson attended a breakfast program at the school in the northeastern Manitoba First Nation on Wednesday morning but didn’t show up in class after that, RCMP previously said.
His disappearance sparked a large-scale search of the area by community members, volunteers and police.
“We extend our deepest condolences to his family, the community of Shamattawa First Nation and to everyone grieving his loss,” RCMP said in their release.
Earlier in the day, RCMP said in a social media post that the search party included members from RCMP Search and Rescue, the Office of the Fire Commissioner, Manto Sipi Cree Nation, Pimicikamak Cree Nation and Tataskweyak Cree Nation.
Handfuls of members from Shamattawa First Nation had also been helping with the search, RCMP previously told CBC News. The boy’s family was also involved in the search.
Multiple teams were doing grid searches, RCMP said in the post.
On Saturday, RCMP Sgt. Paul Manaigre said the search had been largely focused on bushes in the west of the community, near its nursing station, after tracks were spotted in the gravel pits there. Manaigre said it wasn’t known yet if the track’s were Johnson’s when speaking to CBC News Saturday.
Three main search teams with GPS were expected to conduct a grid search of that area Saturday afternoon, Manaigre said, walking the area back and forth in a line, about six metres apart, then inputting the data into a map to track which areas have been covered.
He said the expansive search included a helicopter, a police dog and drones with infrared capability.
Manaigre also told CBC News Saturday searchers had been combing through wooded areas, and checking trails, roads, sheds and construction equipment, as well as going door to door looking for the child.