South Boston

Body of Missing Boy, 4, Found at Spectacle Island After Massive Search

Mohamed Abou Fofana was found at Spectacle Island on Monday afternoon after being reported missing Sunday night from Castle Island, Massachusetts State Police said

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The body of a 4-year-old boy who disappeared from a playground at South Boston's Castle Island Sunday was found Monday on an island in Boston Harbor, authorities said.

Mohamed Abou Fofana was found on the shore at Spectacle Island on Monday afternoon, Massachusetts State Police told NBC10 Boston. His family has been notified.

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The body was spotted by a state police boat about 12:29 p.m., and it was confirmed to be Mohamed. He was being taken to shore, police said. Detectives were continuing to investigate the child's death.

Spectacle Island is over a mile from Castle Island in Boston Harbor. The search by air, water and land for Mohamed, who is from South Boston, stretched as far south as Hull and north to Deer Island, but was focused on a stretch of water between Dorchester Bay and the Boston Main Channel, police had said.

First responders worked throughout the morning looking for Mohamed, whose mother arrived in the area early Monday. Among the many agencies searching for Mohamed were the U.S. Coast Guard, state police and the Boston police and fire departments.

“If people see Mohamed, please,” said his mother, Matenjay Fofana, choking back tears, Monday morning. “Please give him to police people or call 911, please.”

Mohamed Fofana
Mohamed Fofana

Mohamed was playing at a park Sunday evening at Castle Island with an adult family member when, around 7 p.m., the family member lost sight of him, state troopers said. The relative called 911 at around 7:30 p.m. and reported to state police that the boy was missing, according to police.

Matenjay Fofana said that the boy, who had autism and was non-verbal, was with his grandfather and sister when he disappeared. He was very energetic and had a tendency to wander off.

“Yesterday they come with grandpa for the playground," she said. "He called me, ‘I see your daughter but I’m not seeing Mohamed.’ That’s why I come here yesterday. I not see him...I need to find Mohamed because Mohamed don’t do nothing for himself, nothing.”

Police are searching for a 4-year-old boy from South Boston who was reported missing around 8 p.m. on Sunday. Crews first searched the land, and spread their search to the water.

State troopers initially did a sweep of the area and couldn't fund Mohamed. Authorities remained on scene overnight and the search resumed Monday morning.

Search efforts on Monday included divers scouring the area from Castle Island's sea wall 150 yeards offshore, helicopters flying along the coast line from Deer Island to Hull while a Boston firefighter drone searched the coastline and continued searching of the ground in and around Castle Island, police said. Detectives reviewed surveillance footage to see if they could work out where Mohamed went after leaving the playground.

“She’s in shock and just keeps calling out his name, and just hoping,” City Councilor Erin Murphy said Monday morning.

Murphy said she sent social workers to be with Mohammed’s two sisters and she herself was trying to be there to support Mohammed’s mother and grandfather.

“He’s in shock also and feels guilty, unfortunately ... she said, 'It’s Mothers’ Day, I’m a little tired, I don’t want to go to the park or the beach,'" Murphy said. "And Grandpa said, 'I’ll come with you I guess,' and so he feels very guilty, which is heartbreaking for him.”

Police initially provided a different spelling of the missing child's name.

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