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<p class = "canvas-atom-canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – smt Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "The death of Maddox Ritch, 6, who missing for days until his body was found, the North Carolina authorities sought clues as to his death. "data-reactid =" 16 ">The death of Maddox Ritch, 6, who missing for days until his body was found, the North Carolina authorities sought clues as to his death.
FBI agent Jason Kaplan said the investigators still wanted to hear from those at Gastonia Park last weekend when the autistic boy ran away from his father.
North Carolina boy's father, Maddox Ritch (pictured), whose body was found near a lake, said the boy had run away from him. Source: FBI via AP
"In terms of law enforcement, we will not take anything for granted," Kaplan said Thursday, fighting his emotions, at a press conference at which officials announced the discovery of a body.
"So, there is a lot of work, and many people have lost a lot of sleep and are determined to continue to ensure that we answer all the questions we can about Maddox, its movement and its course. finished where he did it.
Kaplan said that there had been speculation about the actions of Maddox's parents, but he said the investigation focused on the child's movements. Specifically, the investigators are looking for a man in a white truck who would have seen Maddox before he disappeared.
"We always want to hear from other people who have not contacted us," Kaplan said.
The Gastonia Police Department has been conducting the investigation since the boy disappeared. The FBI helped in the case.
A teddy bear was left at the entrance to Rankin Lake Park in memory of 6-year-old Maddox Ritch, whose body was found in a creek near North Carolina. Source: Mike Hensdill / Gaston Gazette via AP
"I'm not dad anymore"
Maddox's father, Ian Ritch, shared the sorrow of never being able to do the activities he wanted to do with his son, such as fishing, playing sports or going camping.
Last Saturday, Ritch said the boy had run away from him and a friend in Rankin Lake Park and had gone before he could catch up with him. Ritch said that foot neuropathy caused by diabetes prevented him from running after Maddox.
"Today, I discovered that I'm no longer a father," he wrote in a long Facebook message on Thursday.
He added that he wished his son to consider him a hero such as Batman or Superman.
"I wanted people to ask him who his hero is [sic] and tell him my dad.
Mr. Ritch then stated that he was not a hero and that he had failed to protect his son.
"Now I am not a hero [sic] I could not save him or protect him at all. I would give anything to save him and save him.
Discovery of tragic cove
Phil Welch, Fire Chief of Kaplan and Gastonia, said the boy's body was found in about a meter of water in a creek, about 1.6 km east of the park, by a researcher.
Welch said the area had already been searched by drones, all-terrain vehicles, kayak teams and foot patrols.
Maddox Ritch with his father Ian Ritch. Source: Facebook Ian Ritch
"We were looking on the presumption that he could have moved," Welch said.
Kaplan said it was too early to determine whether a criminal act had been involved in Maddox's death, but investigators would follow all angles to find out exactly what had happened.
"Where did he come in, how did he get there, what was the way of death, what was the cause of death? Has there been a crime that has been committed, or are we just looking at an accident?
"These are very difficult questions to answer, but these are questions we will answer."
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