Authorities discovered the remains of a 7-year-old boy from Two Rivers on Sunday morning in the West Twin River.
Jacob Baer, an individual on the autism spectrum, was spotted for the last time around 4:30 p.m. on Saturday close to Veterans Park in Two Rivers. Authorities reported that Jacob was enjoying outdoor play when his parent momentarily lost track of him.
At noon on Sunday, the police department in Two Rivers shared a heartfelt message on Facebook, expressing their condolences to the family and friends of Jacob Baer.
On Saturday night, authorities in Two Rivers reported finding items in the West Twin River that they suspect are connected to Baer.
An area of interest has also been identified by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in proximity to those items.
On Sunday morning, officials from the Department of Natural Resources pinpointed a potential site in 5 to 6 feet of water for what was thought to be Baer. Efforts to recover persisted into the late morning hours. A body has been found and confirmed to be Baer.
During the night on Saturday, the Coast Guard Ice Search and Rescue Team contributed to the search operations at the West Twin River. The aerial support was provided by the Wisconsin National Guard.
Authorities continue to look into the situation while cautioning the public about the hazards posed by ice on waterways, particularly during this season when it tends to be quite fragile.
