'I was heartbroken': Cecil County community grieving after 3-year-old found dead in creek
BALTIMORE - A community in Cecil County is mourning the death of a 3-year-old boy who went missing from his home on Mother's Day.
Mykel Richardson was found dead in a body of water on Monday near his grandmother's home in Elkton.
"I can't imagine that pain," United Way of Cecil County Executive Director Melissa Tapp said. "It's every parent's worse nightmare."
Elkton Police said Mykel went missing near his grandmother's home on Quail Court Sunday.
A frantic search for the boy began immediately throughout the entire neighborhood.
"I was standing outside and a girl stopped me and asked me if I saw a little boy," neighbor Ashley Rhodes said.
The family said Mykel was autistic and nonverbal.
They also said he loved being near water.
That's why investigators searched for him near the Little Elk Creek, which is not far from where he went missing.
About 24 hours after the search began, the Maryland State Police Dive Team found his body in the creek.
"I was heartbroken," Rhodes said. "I just thought what would I do if it were my kid?"
Neighbors helped with the search effort.
Ashley Rhodes said her boyfriend used his own boat to look for Mykel.
"We stayed up until three this morning out here looking for him and then we went to sleep and got back up and came back out to help," Rhodes said.
Members of the Cecil County United Way also came out to look.
"During such a dark time, so many people rally together from all walks of the county," Tapp said. "They didn't know the family and they just wanted to do whatever they could to help."
Police said they do not think there was any foul play involved in Mykel's disappearance but they will do an autopsy on his body to be sure.
