Boy’s body found in American River during search identified as missing 5-year-old
The 5-year-old boy who went missing Monday evening at Discovery Park has been identified by officials as the body recovered Tuesday morning from the American River.
The Sacramento County Coroner’s Office identified the body as that of Ziyon Jamar Butler on Tuesday afternoon.
Sacramento Regional Parks and city police searched overnight and into the morning for Butler, who was last seen around 6:30 p.m. at Tiscornia Beach. He had last been seen wearing rainbow-colored shorts, water socks and no shirt, and had been with his family at a pop-up tent on the beach, parks officials said on Twitter.
Shortly before 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, search and rescue boats found and recovered a body matching the description of the missing child in the water near Tiscornia Beach, the Sacramento Police Department said in a tweet just after 11 a.m.
Discovery Park was closed until further notice due to the police activity, Regional Parks said in a tweet just before 8:45 a.m.
More than a dozen family members remained on the beach late Tuesday morning after the body was discovered, sobbing and embracing each other.
Relatives declined to comment to the media, but they met with Debra Cummings of the Black Child Legacy Campaign’s crisis response team.
“I’ve not only spoken to them, I have fed them and I have been here with them all morning to lend support,” Cummings said.
Cummings provided the family food, water and soda. She said Ziyon’s mother was “in shock right now.”
“Anything she needs, anything she could use that we can provide, we’re here to offer that support,” Cummings said.
This story was originally published May 26, 2020 at 7:11 AM.
