Wisconsin

Body of missing Wisconsin boy found in river

Jacob Baer, who has autism, was playing outside in the city of Two Rivers on Saturday when his parents lost sight of him.

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The body of a 7-year-old eastern Wisconsin boy was found in a river on Sunday, one day after he disappeared, authorities said.

Jacob Baer, who has autism, was playing outside in the city of Two Rivers on Saturday when his parents lost sight of him. Emergency authorities issued a Missing and Endangered Alert and orchestrated a search of the area, including the nearby West Twin River.

Several items that were believed to be Jacob's were found in the river late Saturday, authorities stated. Then, on Sunday morning, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources identified a possible location in 5 to 6 feet of water for what was believed to be Jacob.

A body, which was positively identified as the young boy, was recovered from the location, police stated.

"This tragic event is a reminder of how dangerous the ice can be on our waterways, especially this time of year when it is very thin," the Two Rivers Police Department said in a Facebook post. "Please stay off the ice and keep your children safe by monitoring them closely when around any waterway."

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