Body of young boy found by mushroom hunter in Indiana woods
The body of a young boy who may have died within the last week was found by a resident who was hunting for mushrooms in a wooded area in southern Indiana, and state police asked Sunday for the public's help in identifying the child.
The person who discovered the body called 911 and the Washington County Sheriff's Department responded. Detectives with the Indiana State Police were then called to investigate.
Indiana State Police Sgt. Carey Huls said that the body of the boy, believed to be between 5 and 8 years old, was found Saturday night in the heavily wooded area of Washington County not far from a road.
Huls said the agency does not know the name of the boy, who he described as a Black boy who is 4 feet tall, with a slim build and short hair.
"Investigators believe the child's death occurred sometime within the last week," Huls said.
Huls declined to give any details, including the possible cause of death or what the boy was wearing when his body was found.
He also appealed to the public to provide any information about the boy, saying somebody knows who the child was or knows the names of his parents or guardians.
"There's somebody at a Easter table this weekend that maybe has somebody that's not there and were expecting to come," Huls said. "There's family members, friends, somebody from school perhaps, that knows maybe there was issues, that thinks this could possibly be that child."
If anyone has information that could help identify the child, please call Detective Matt Busick with the Indiana State Police in Sellersburg at 1-812-248-4374 or 1-800-872-6743.