Jan 21 (Japan Today) - The body of a child which was found Friday at the edge of a river in Sakai, Fukui Prefecture, has been identified as that of a three-year-old boy who has been missing since Dec 9.
Police said Saturday that a DNA test identified the boy as Ren Tanaka who disappeared from his father’s car in a parking lot in Echizen on the afternoon of Dec 9, Fuji TV reported.
The body was found about 35 kilometers away among thickets at the edge of the Kuzuryu River by a fisherman at around 9:50 a.m. Friday. Police said the boy was wearing a green long-sleeved hooded jacket, long pants and sneakers, which matched the clothing Ren was wearing when he disappeared.
Police said there were no signs of external injuries on the body and believe the boy's death was an accident. Medical examiners said the boy died of either drowning or hypothermia.
Ren was last seen at around 2 p.m. on Saturday Dec 9, when his father, Ryoji, left him in the car in the parking lot of his office building. He was away from the car for about 10 minutes. When he came back, his son was gone.
Tanaka told police his son had been sitting in the front passenger seat with his seat belt fastened, but that he did not lock the car doors.
The river near the parking lot where the car was parked has no fences or barriers. Due to rain that day, the water level had risen and the current was strong.
Police believe Ren may have gotten out of the car and walked to the river where he fell in and was swept away.
Source: ANNnewsCH
