Missing 6-year-old boy in Tabogon found dead in river

File photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A six-year-old boy from Tabogon town in northern Cebu was found dead after his family reported him missing for a week.

Authorities in Tabogon confirmed that they discovered the body of John Jio Caballes, who had been reported missing by his father on January 9.

Caballes was found lifeless on top of a large rock, face down, in the middle of a nearly dried-up river in Sitio Awa-aw, Barangay Libjo, where he also resided. The discovery was made on Friday, January 17.

Jio’s relatives turned to social media for help after failing to locate the child when he went missing on January 9.

He was last seen in Barangay Libjo, the same village where his decomposing body was found days later.

Jio’s father, a security guard, positively identified his son by recognizing the clothes the child was wearing on the day he disappeared.

Missing

One of the father’s fellow security guards recounted the events leading up to the child’s disappearance.

On January 9, Jio was reportedly still with his father, and the two were preparing to sell fish near his workplace.

According to the security guard, the father often brought his son to work because no one was available to care for the child. Jio’s mother had already passed away, he added.

READ: Tabogon murder: Missing woman found inside sack and dumped in a canal

Later that day, when the security guard returned to work, he noticed the child was no longer there. It was only in the afternoon that the father realized Jio was missing, prompting him and his coworkers to search for the boy.

Authorities also conducted multiple search and rescue operations.

In the meantime, police are continuing to investigate the boy’s death.

Tabogon is a fourth-class municipality located 86 kilometers north of Cebu City. /clorenciana