Navajo authorities find body of 1-year-old boy

Authorities say they have found the body of a 1-year-old boy who went missing after his family’s vehicle got stuck in a remote area of New Mexico on the Navajo Nation.

Volunteers and state and county authorities had joined Navajo police in their search for Kyron Kelewood , which began Thursday outside of Shiprock , a town of about 9,000 people near the northwest corner of New Mexico. The 21-month-old boy’s mother told police that she had left him, her infant and an unidentified man near the vehicle, according to police.

She had made it to the home of a woman who called authorities and told them the mother appeared severely dehydrated. Authorities have not named the boy’s mother and say the man was not immediately related to her or her children.

With the mother’s help, authorities soon found the infant, who they say was rushed to a hospital, and the man. But they did not find Kyron until Friday.

It’s not clear when he separated from adults.

” This has been a heartbreaking experience for the community, ” Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said in a statement.

The FBI and Navajo authorities are investigating.

The area where he was found is near Horseshoe Canyon — an area about 9 miles northeast of Shiprock and described as remote by authorities.

Dirt roads run through the desert and there are few homes. The Shiprock Pinnacle, a towering monolith and sacred landmark, rises farther to the southwest.

An aerial photo shared by Navajo police on Facebook showed about 50 vehicles and a horse trailer at the search site. It is situated on terrain that is surrounded by open desert and lined by a stretch of rocky cliffs.

Volunteers and authorities had searched the area into the night, and then began again early Friday, police said.

” We find strength and solace in the power of participation of our community and the commitment of all first responders as we bring closure to the family, ” said Chief of Police Phillip Francisco.