EVERETT, Wash. — A 4-year-old Everett boy who was reported missing has been found dead, according to the Everett Police Department (EPD).
Shortly before 6 p.m. on Thursday, the department was notified that a body had been found outside of Everett, however police did not say the exact location where the body was found.
Major Crimes detectives from the Everett Police Department are now investigating the case as a homicide. Initial investigation shows the body is the boy of the missing person's case, police said in a news release.
Ariel Garcia was last seen around 7 a.m. on Wednesday, March 27, in an apartment on the 4800 block of Vesper Drive.
Ariel's family has been notified and the Snohomish County Medical Examiner will determine his cause of death, police said.
Police said due to the ongoing investigation, additional information will be released at a later time.
EPD and search and rescue searched for the boy, who they said disappeared under "suspicious circumstances" after leaving the apartment with a family member.
Police recovered a vehicle of interest, a steel blue 2013 Nissan Sentra SV, in Clark County.
Anyone who saw the boy or has information on the incident is asked to contact police. Police are also seeking security footage of the Nissan on March 27. Tips can be submitted by calling 425-257-8450 or by emailing tips@everettwa.gov.
Neighbors said they noticed a police presence Wednesday afternoon, but by the evening, they knew something serious was going on.
“By 7 p.m., we had nine police officers, lining the street, tons of cop cars people on the phone for hours and it wasn’t until 9:30 when the police came and knocked on our door that we knew what was going on with the missing child,” said Kara Restrepo, who lives across the street.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Download our free KING 5 app to stay up-to-date on news stories from across western Washington.