Police chief ‘heartbroken’ after body discovered in creek
GASTONIA, N.C. — The chief of a North Carolina police department said Thursday he was “heartbroken” over the discovery of a body believed to be that of a missing 6-year-old boy.
Gastonia Police Chief Robert Helton fought back tears and a breaking voice during a news conference in which it was announced officials believed the body searchers found was that of Maddox Ritch.
“Our community’s heartbroken. This is not the end that we hoped for,” Helton said. “I’ve lost a lot of sleep this week worrying about Maddox.”
Gastonia Fire Chief Phil Welch said the body was found in a creek, slightly more than a mile (1.6 kilometres) east of Rankin Lake Park, by a searcher who was walking down the middle of the creek as his partners stood on the bank. He said the area had been searched previously by drones, all-terrain vehicles and foot patrols.