Body of missing 4-year-old found on Spectacle Island

The search for a 4-year-old boy who went missing Sunday ended in a nightmare on Monday, as State Police discovered his body on the shore of Spectacle Island.

Mohamed Abou Fofana, who was autistic and nonverbal, went missing Sunday night at Castle Island. Spectacle Island sits directly across the water from the South Boston park.

"Troopers from the MSP Special Emergency Response Team and State Police Detective Unit for Suffolk County were ferried to the island by the Marine Unit, and they have confirmed the body to be Mohamed," state solice spokesman Dave Procopio said in a statement. "State Police Crime Scene Services also responded to document the scene of the recovery."

State police, the Coast Guard and several specialized local police and fire units took part in a massive search for the boy Sunday night, bringing to bear boats, helicopters, sonar, drones and dogs. They scanned the shore and waters from Deer Island in the north down to Hull on the South Shore, searching well into the evening before pausing overnight and resuming early Monday morning. Divers fanned out 150 yards offshore from the Castle Island sea wall.

Fofana's body will next go to the Office of the Medical Examiner as state police begin a death investigation.

Editor's Note: An earlier version of the story used an incorrect spelling of the boy's name as provided by the Massachusetts State Police. This post has been updated. We regret the error.