Body of missing 7-year-old boy recovered from West Twin River

A missing 7-year-old Two Rivers boy was found dead Sunday after an overnight search.

The Two Rivers Police Department released a statement confirming they had recovered the body of Jacob Baer Sunday morning from the West Twin River.

Police said they were called for a report of a possible missing child late Saturday afternoon. In a statement, police said the boy was autistic, and had been playing outside at about 4:30 p.m. Saturday when his parents lost sight of him. He was last seen at Veterans Park, which is along the bank of the West Twin River in Manitowoc County.

“An immediate search was conducted using many resources throughout the night, as well as an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident,” police stated. A Missing and Endangered Alert and local alerts were issued.

Searchers found several items belonging to Jacob in the river Saturday night. On Sunday morning, according to police, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources identified a possible location for Jacob in 5 to 6 feet of water. The boy’s body was recovered from that area.

“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. Please stay off the ice and keep your children safe by monitoring them closely when around any waterway,” police stated.

The search was aided by multiple police and fire agencies, along with the U.S. Coast Guard and Wisconsin Army National Guard. Police said the incident is still under investigation.