GASTONIA, N.C. -- After an intensive, six-day search, officials found the body believed to be that of 6-year-old Maddox Ritch in a creek off of Marietta Street/Old Dallas Highway in Gastonia on Thursday.

  • Police believe they've found the body of Maddox Ritch
  • The discovery was made in a creek off of Marietta Street/Old Dallas Highway
  • Official cause of death has not been released. 

In a conference on Thursday afternoon, authorities from Gastonia police, fire and FBI said that it is "reasonable" to say the body they found is that of 6-year-old Maddox. 

Chief Phil Welch with the Gastonia Fire Department said that the body was found about a mile east of Rankin Lake Park in Long Creek. A team of 15 searchers including officials from the fire department, law department and other agencies found the body partially underwater in about two to three feet of water. Officials described the recovery effort as "impressive," and said that the body was very camouflaged by underbrush. 

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According to authorities, that stretch outside of the park had been searched numerous times over the last several days. 

 

 
 

 

 

Maddox was with his father and another adult on the back side of Rankin Lake Park Saturday when they say they lost sight of him. 

The boy had autism and was nonverbal. 

The Gastonia Fire Department, Gaston County EMS, Gastonia Police and the Charlotte Fire Department were all called in to help with the search. State and federal authorities, including the FBI, were also involved in the search.

Maddox's mother and father were notified in person by an official from the FBI and police department shortly after authorities recovered the body. 

Authorities with the FBI said a lot of questions remain unanswered, and that their continued investigation will intend to answer questions including where the boy entered the creek, how he got there, the manner and cause of this death and whether or not it was a crime or an accident. The police chief mentioned that there is "a lot of indication" thus far that Maddox was where the family said he was at the time he went missing. 

 

911 calls from when Maddox was first reported missing below:

 
 
General area near where the body of Maddox was found: 
 

 

 

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