WALKER COUNTY, Ala. (WBRC) – The body of a 4-year-old child reported missing from Walker County has been found, according to area law enforcement.
The Walker County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Friday that it had found the body of Johnathan Everett Boley. It was about three kilometers from the house. His dog, Buck, was found living with him.
This is a last minute update. Further information will be provided as it becomes available.
Original story
As the search for a missing 4-year-old in Walker County enters its third day, Sheriff Nick Smith is pleading for the community’s help in finding him.
Smith said that with 161 volunteers and 126 law enforcement personnel from multiple agencies, they covered about 500 acres during their search for Johnathan Boley on Thursday.
More than 100 volunteers showed up Friday to continue the search.
Walker County Emergency Management Agency Director Regina Myers told WBRC that search efforts are being expanded to other areas that have not yet been covered. Volunteers are still not allowed to participate in searches around the child’s home.
“We have a lot of hope because of the community support we have,” Smith said. “I need the community to be out. I need you to be vigilant. Just because you’re not necessarily in that immediate area, I need everyone in Walker County to check your ring cameras, check your deer cameras, check your tree stands, check your deer houses, check your deer cameras. Look, look under your car, look under your porch, your garages.”
Johnathan Everett Boley, or John John as he is known, was last seen in the 7000 block of Highway 195 around 11:30 a.m. Dec. 31 in northern Walker County, between the communities of Manchester and Thach.
Boley is four feet tall and weighs 50 pounds. He was last seen wearing a yellow Mickey Mouse shirt, black pants and Paw Patrol shoes.
Smith said that with Boley’s small size, he could get into tight spaces.
“If you have tunnels, caves on your property, go out and look and make sure we’re not overlooking them and make sure we’re doing our due diligence to find that child,” Smith said.
Boley was reportedly with a black Labrador named Buck.
“I’m hopeful that they’re together,” Smith said. “I know we’ve had some cold nights, but I hope with Buck and John John, if they’re still together, they can stay warm.”
The Walker County Sheriff’s Office received a call about a missing child around 12:28 Wednesday afternoon.
“It appears (Johnathan) and his brother were outside playing around the fence, with a dog,” Smith said at the time. “The brother said the dog and his brother went over the fence.”
Search teams used a thermal imaging drone in the hours after Boley’s disappearance, but Smith said Thursday that no thermal signatures were detected.
Dive teams searched nearby ponds Thursday as WCSO deputies suspended a ground search near the father’s home after finding explosive materials in the house.
JamesonKyle Boley, has since been accused with unlawful manufacturing of a destructive device and two counts of chemical endangerment of a child.
Smith said the charges are not related to her son’s disappearance.
“The father has been charged. It has nothing to do with the missing child, it’s something completely separate, but it remains a factor hindering our search,” Sheriff Smith said Wednesday. “We have a search warrant for the property that requires them to take care of certain explosive devices before we can enter the residence and conduct a thorough search. There is evidence of explosive devices on the property. We have suspended the search for civilians. We have asked them to refrain from searching at this time. We have identified at least eight other explosive devices. We do not believe they are charged, but I can’t say with certainty until examined by the FBI explosives team.”
Smith says neighbors have been hearing explosions “for weeks now.”
“The father is ex-military. The neighbors say they’ve been hearing explosions for weeks now, they weren’t sure where it was coming from. The morning before the report came in, one of the neighbors reported hearing an explosion around 4 a.m. I can’t say there’s a connection to the missing child.”
Smith shared a photo Wednesday evening of the dog he said was with Boley when he went missing.
“Talking to one of the neighbors, this dog has been showing up on their game cameras almost every day, at their corn feeder. The last time he had the dog on his camera was the 26th, the afternoon of the 26th (December).
The Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with exterior cameras on Highway 195 in the area where Boley went missing to check the footage and contact the Sheriff’s Office if anything is found.
Authorities say the boy’s parents are separated and that he and his mother moved to Florida about a year ago.
At a news conference Thursday, Smith said the mother had arrived from Florida and was working with authorities.
“The mother arrived last night from Florida. We spoke to her and she cooperated with us to the best of her ability,” Smith said.
If you have any tips, Smith says a phone line is being set up for people to call and encourages turning over any possible evidence to authorities.
“Right now we are working on a tip line with the FBI and we will release that information as soon as we have it available, where we can get centralized, where all the tips are not broadcast everywhere. They can send them to that. I encourage the public to start one, if you live in this area, be vigilant. Look under your cars if you haven’t driven them in a few days, look in your garages, look in your carports, look anywhere a child would look to get out of the elements,” Smith said.
The FBI, State Bureau of Investigation, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Sumiton Police Department, Jasper Police and Adamsville Police all responded to the scene to assist.
Regina Myers said Friday that no additional volunteers are currently needed.
If you have any information on his whereabouts, you are asked to call the Walker County Sheriff’s Office at 205-384-7218 or 911.
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