Body of missing 4-year-old boy found after intensive search on and around Castle Island

BOSTON (WJAR) — Massachusetts State Police on Monday said they recovered the body of a 4-year-old boy who was reported missing on Castle Island in South Boston.

Authorities said Mohamed Fofana’s body was spotted at about 12:30 p.m. EDT on the shoreline of Spectacle Island, directly across the water from Castle Island.

Hearst Owned

Police are searching for Mohemed Fofena, 4, of South Boston.

FINAL UPDATE— with much sadness we report that we located Mohamed’s body at 12:29 PM today on the shoreline of Castle Island. Our detective unit for Suffolk county will conduct the follow up death investigation. We express our deepest condolences to his family. https://t.co/xdFnGjpIuz

— Mass State Police (@MassStatePolice) May 15, 2023

State police said the boy’s body would be brought to shore and transferred to the chief medical examiner.

Mohamed was playing at the park with family Sunday night when they lost sight of him at about 7 p.m. EDT.

Police officers, firefighters and the Coast Guard searched for hours, but eventually had to stop.

The search picked up again Monday morning using divers and side-scan sonar.

The state police and the Coast Guard also searched by air, while ground teams searched Castle Island.

There is a large search for a missing 5 year old at Castle Island with ⁦@MassStatePolice⁩ boats, helicopter, and drones. ⁦@bostonpolice⁩ and ⁦@BostonFire⁩ are assisting. #WBZ pic.twitter.com/kkbC7xVh24

— Louisa Moller (@LouisaMoller) May 15, 2023

“If you saw Mohemed, please help me. Help me…my little baby, please, please,” the child’s mother said.

His mother is pleading for help finding him.

Massachusetts State Police, Boston Police, Boston Fire, Massachusetts Environmental Police and the U.S. Coast Guard teams used vessels to search on land and in the water, and a helicopter participated in the search from above.

“I was hoping they would find the child somewhere in the island not in the water, so we’ll hope and pray for that,” witness Vinny Nallagatla said.

Mohemed is Black and was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans and blue footwear.

Anyone with any information is asked to call 911.