A boy’s body was discovered after his mother died trying to save him and his sibling from drowning.
Mason DeChhat, six, was cruelly washed away by the Merrimack River in Amesbury, Massachusetts on June 9, along with his seven-year-old sister.
Boua DeChhat, 29, died after diving into the ocean to save her son before being swept away by the current.
Mason’s body was discovered on Sunday, according to reports.
‘It is with a great sadness we must report the body of the young boy has been recovered,’ Amesbury police shared in a statement on Facebook.
A kayaker found his body about a half mile from where he was last seen, authorities said.
‘I saw something floating and I was hoping it was a stick, and then as I got closer realized what it was and called 911,’ the kayaker was quoted as saying.
‘It’s just awful.’
The remains were turned over to the Massachusetts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for official identification.
The search and rescue operation for the young boy had been suspended on Friday at 5pm due to the strong currents in the river, the Coast Guard said
‘It’s always a difficult choice to halt a search and rescue investigation, and it’s much more terrible when children are involved,’ said Captain Kailie Benson, Coast Guard Sector Boston Commander.
When Mason became distressed, his father, 31, went to find something before Boua leapt in to save her children, despite not being able to swim.
When Mason’s father returned, he tried unsuccessfully to save his wife and daughter.
Boua and her daughter were finally carried inland by the river, but Boua was dragged under the water after the kid arrived on shore.
Mark Bajko, a bystander, attempted to revive Boua but was unsuccessful.
WCVB quoted Bajko as saying, ‘I’m going as hard as I can.’
‘I’d already dialed 911 on my way over and was performing CPR when a cop grabs me on the shoulder and says, ‘Hey, let me take over.’
‘And he takes over, and I step up, and a small girl stops screaming and cries, ‘My brother is still in the water,”‘ she says.
The family went to the river to fish and swim before getting into trouble at 7 p.m. in the fast-moving river.
The seven-year-old youngster was treated and released from Newburyport’s Anna Jacques Hospital.
A memorial has been erected near the scene of the tragedy, and a GoFundMe page has raised nearly $100,000 for the family.
Mason DeChhat was a kindergarten student at Murkland Elementary School, which sent out a letter to students and parents on Friday offering grief counseling before Mason’s body was discovered.
‘Grief has no set pattern, and everyone feels it differently,’ the letter continues.
‘Talk to your kids, listen to them, and get help for them and yourself if necessary.’
‘Please know that the Murkland School community is strong, as always, and that we are here to help you and your child in any way we can.’