Massachusetts Officers Find Remains of Missing 3-Year-Old Boy in Pond Day After Disappearance in Babysitter's Yard
(Photo : Barry Williams/Getty Images)
Massachusetts officials said a 3-year-old boy who wandered away from his babysitter's backyard earlier this week was discovered dead several hundred feet from the house.

A day after he was reported missing from his babysitter's home and a large search was initiated, Harry Kkonde, a missing 3-year-old Lowell child, was discovered dead in shallow water.

The boy's corpse was recovered Wednesday afternoon, more than a day after he went missing from his home on Freda Lane in Pawtucketville. A State Police dive team discovered him in a pond on Ronald Perron's property, not far from his Lowell home.

Boy Who Went Missing in Babysitter's Yard Found Dead

The pond had been combed on Tuesday, but Harry had not been found. Police were re-checking locations a day later since the youngster was thought to be on the move. Harry Kkonde was discovered in roughly five feet of water, still wearing the clothing he was last seen in. His body showed no evidence of trauma. "This is every parent's greatest fear," said Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan on Wednesday.

The boy's parents wept alongside fellow Ugandan immigrants Wednesday night. Dozens of people gathered around the farm on Wednesday night, leaving balloons and flowers. A vigil is scheduled on Thursday night. According to family relatives, Harry was a humble, quiet youngster who stayed close to his mother. They said they will seek the community for assistance with his funeral expenses, just as they did with the hunt for him.

As stated in  ABC News, the pond was located at a Christmas tree farm approximately 650 feet away from the babysitter's Lowell house. Harry was last spotted at around 9:15 am. According to the Middlesex District Attorney's Office, the youngster was reported missing on Tuesday by a neighbor who claimed to police he spotted him in the babysitter's yard on Freda Lane. About 15 minutes later, he was reported missing.

His abduction occurred immediately after his parents dropped him off at about 7:00 am, according to authorities. Around 180 local police officers and firemen assisted in the hunt for the youngster, whom his father described as active but nonspeaking.

According to NBC Boston, Carlisle Police Chief John Fisher said investigators were investigating every location in the community from a breadbox on up throughout the hunt. During a news conference on Wednesday afternoon, officials claimed that they are still hunting for answers.

The Middlesex District Attorney's Office stated in a news release that the investigation into this situation is ongoing and that efforts are being made to determine when and how Harry entered the water. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the child's cause and manner of death. The farm's owners were devastated, according to one of them, CBS News reported.

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GoFundMe Pages Launched for Harry Kkonde

Two GoFundMe contribution sites have been established to assist with the funeral and memorial expenses of a 3-year-old Lowell child. The Uganda Boston Community Association established a GoFundMe campaign to assist the child's father, Samuel Kkonde, and mother, Harriet Lwanga, with burial and memorial expenses for their son.

The fundraising began on Wednesday and has now raised more than $10,000. Anyone interested in giving to assist cover the expense of Harry Kkonde's funeral can do so here. Shannon Costa, a coworker of Harry Kkonde's aunt, has also set up a GoFundMe page to help the family pay for the child's burial and memorial expenses.

Since its inception on Wednesday, the campaign has raised slightly over $1000. Anyone who wishes to contribute can do so here. Over 200 police units, government authorities, and neighbors helped in the hunt for a missing 3-year-old kid in Lowell, which ended in tragedy Wednesday when the youngster's corpse was discovered just 650 feet from the home where he went missing.

Authorities are looking into the circumstances surrounding the child's death. When asked if there was any evidence of wrongdoing on Wednesday, District Attorney Ryan indicated it was extremely early in the inquiry, as per MassLive.

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