The body of a four-year-old boy, missing almost two weeks after accidentally falling into the Merrimack River, was found Friday morning by an off-duty State Police lieutenant.
Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan, Lowell Police Superintendent Greg Hudon and Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble confirmed the body of Azriel Lopez of Lawrence was recovered around 9 a.m. from the Merrimack River in Tewksbury.
The Massachusetts State Police Marine Unit and Dive Team recovered the body with assistance from Tewksbury, Lowell and Methuen Police Departments and State Police A-Troop detectives.
The off-duty State Police trooper was on the river in his personal boat when he saw what appeared to be a body in the water near the Trull Brook Golf Course in Tewksbury.
The four-year-old has been missing since Saturday, April 19.
Searches were initially conducted by the Lowell Police Drone Unit; Massachusetts State Police Airwing which used infrared to search; and the Massachusetts Environmental Police who used sonar and side-scanning sonar. Follow-up searches were made by various state and local departments including Methuen Police and Fire and Lawrence Police and Fire.