The heartbroken family of a three-year-old boy found dead just metres from where he was last seen in a Queensland town say there are "no words" to express their grief.
Frantic Community Search Ends in Tragedy
A desperate search was launched on Tuesday afternoon in the town of Thabeban, near Bundaberg, after the young boy was reported missing. The child, described as having blond hair and wearing a Spider-Man shirt, was last seen at a home on Central Avenue around 3:30 pm.
Police, family members, and local residents combed the area for hours as daylight faded. Volunteers searched with torches and drones were deployed to cover wider areas, with plans being made to extend the search into surrounding sugarcane fields.
Boy Found in Car Near Home
The search came to a devastating end at approximately 9:25 pm when the boy was reportedly discovered deceased inside a car. The vehicle was located only a short distance from the home where he was last seen. Temperatures in the region had reached 30 degrees Celsius on the day he disappeared.
In a statement, police confirmed the child's death is not being treated as suspicious.
Community and Family Devastated
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the tight-knit Thabeban community. A loved one set up an online fundraiser to support the boy's mother with funeral costs, writing, "There are no words that can truly describe the pain of losing a child."
"(She) has lost her beautiful little boy far too soon, and our family is devastated," the statement continued. "During this incredibly difficult time we want to come together as family, friends, and community to help ease some of the burden she is facing."
Local residents expressed their profound sorrow. "Devastating," one said. "That poor little boy — not the news I was hoping to hear."
Bundaberg deputy mayor Steve Cooper shared the sad update from police on Wednesday, stating, "It is with regret that I share this very sad update following yesterday’s search."
