EVERETT — Police believe they have found the body of a 4-year-old Everett boy who had been missing since Wednesday morning.
Ariel Garcia was last seen at 7 a.m. Wednesday at an apartment in the 4800 block of Vesper Drive, according to the Everett Police Department.
Around 5:55 p.m. Thursday, Everett police were notified of a body found at a location outside of Everett.
“Initial indications are that the found body is the missing person in this case,” Everett police wrote on social media.
The Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the cause and manner of death and confirm the identity of the victim, police said. The family has been notified.
The discovery came at about the same time as the Washington State Patrol issued an Endangered Missing Person alert for Garcia on behalf of Everett police, setting off an alarm on phones around the region.
Authorities, with assistance from the FBI, were looking for the child after he left the apartment “under suspicious circumstances” with a family member, according to the department. Police believed the child could be in danger.
A blue 2013 Nissan Sentra associated with the missing child was found in Clark County, police said. The car had a Washington license plate, with the number CJC9954. Police seized the car.
An Amber Alert was prepared, but not issued, because there wasn’t a known suspect for the public to look for, Everett police officer Chris Hawley said early Thursday.
Investigators were seeking tips about Garcia’s or the vehicle’s whereabouts from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday.
Throughout the investigation, officers were in touch with the child’s mother and family. Police described Garcia as a boy with brown hair and brown eyes, about 3-foot-1 and roughly 37 pounds. No clothing description was available.
Anyone with information about the case was asked to call 911, submit tips to 425-257-8450, or email tips@everettwa.gov.
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