South Boston Castle Island Missing Boy, After his corpse was found on the shore of Spectacle Island on Monday afternoon, the extensive search for a missing 4-year-old South Boston kid from Castle Island came to an end.
Just before 12:30 p.m., while the tide was retreating, a search team using binoculars discovered Mohamed Fofana’s body on the beach immediately across the water from Castle Island. According to state police spokesperson Dave Procopio, “We had hoped for a very different result.” After a family member lost sight of Mohamed while he was playing in a park along the South Boston beach about 7 p.m. on Sunday, the kid was first reported missing.
State police told Boston 25 that Mohamed could be seen on surveillance footage leaving a Castle Island playground and walking toward the lake. On Sunday evening, his shoe was also discovered in the ocean near Castle Island. Mohamed’s mother revealed to Boston 25 on Sunday night that he was non-verbal and autistic. His family stayed on the scene through the night and again on Monday morning while the search effort was stepped up. As soon as the police were certain it was the youngster, they immediately informed his family.
While Mohamed’s sister attended the Dever School in Southie, Mohamed attended the Lee School in Dorchester. Mohamed’s mother claimed that when he vanished, her kid was with his grandfather and sister. She added that her son lacked speech. “Please, assist me. I need Mohamed, if anyone has him. The boy’s mother cried out in anguish, “Please help me. Mohamed’s granddad claimed that while they were having fun, the park was packed and they weren’t familiar with the neighborhood. Up until just before 1:00 a.m. on Monday, MSP and other agencies conducted a thorough land, sea, and air search of the area. A few hours later, when officials had shut down parts of Castle Island to conduct a K9 dog sweep, the search was restarted.
Divers and boats were searching the Western Way, a stretch of ocean that connects the Boston Main Channel to the north with Dorchester Bay to the south. Three boats, according to the state police, employed side-scan sonar to capture photographs of the ocean floor. Divers looked for wrecks along the walls of Castle Island 150 miles offshore. Mohamed was a student in the Boston Public Schools system, the district said in a statement. “The devastating news that Mohamed Fofana, a pre-K student at the Lee K-8 School community, passed away has left our community in mourning. During this trying time, our hearts go out to the family, friends, and school community, BPS said.
Mohamed’s body will be given to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner’s custody. Police immediately informed the boy’s relatives that they were certain it was him. After being informed, the mother and grandfather were seen boarding a Boston police vehicle. Erin Murphy, a city councilor for Boston, spent time with the family and was present when they learned the news.
Murphy stated, “I don’t know what you give a mom whose son is lost.” An investigation into Mohamed’s death is being conducted by state police detectives who are working for the Suffolk District Attorney’s Office. Additionally, those who assisted in the search for Mohamed sent the sad family their condolences. No trooper, officer, firefighter, or EMT who was involved didn’t desire a better and happier outcome, according to Procopio. Police are still looking into the circumstances leading up to this tragedy as the medical examiner investigates the death.
