The search for Beau Belson remained hopeful Thursday morning near Six Lakes, but the afternoon brought heartbreaking news. State Police say divers found Belson's body in a pond near his grandmother's home underneath the ice.
FOX 17 spoke with his grandmother and great aunt during the search.
"He's the best little guy. He's the sweetest, most caring little guy you could ever meet," Holly Messer, his grandmother said.
"He's coming home. He's coming home," she said.
Five-year-old Beau Brennen Belson, had last been seen< /span> playing outside with family members around 2:30 p.m. on Christmas when he went missing. A search to locate Beau had been unsuccessful until Thursday afternoon.
Messer said, "Everybody we saw yesterday we thanked, and it was their holiday too and they came to help us. It was very. It was touching, and I just can't thank everybody enough just for being here for him."
But Thursday afternoon, state police delivered the heartbreaking update.
"We're not sure at this point if he just wandered into the water or fell in. We're not sure at this point," MSP lieutenant David Cope said.
He says only the surface had been searched before. MSP's Marine Services Team, who's qualified to go beneath the surface, was called in today. The MSP Marine Services Team made the upsetting discovery.
Cope said, "It's very difficult anytime there's a child involved in something like this, and it just shows you what a close-knit community the Six Lakes area is and the surrounding areas to come out on Christmas night search for a young boy who's missing."
State police say this is now a death investigation which is customary even when foul play is not suspected.
