Suspected Death of Missing Person Arian: Authorities Report No Indications of Criminal Activity
After the forensic analysis, authorities predict the results won't be available until at least the coming week. The crime scene has been thoroughly inspected by investigators from Special Investigation Group Arian, who are looking into this instance as potentially linked to the 6-year-old Arian from Elm, missing since April.
At this point in the investigation, there's no indication of any external involvement, police have said. However, more details will only be released once the autopsy is complete.
The child's body was found merely 3km from Elm, a township adjacent to where Arian disappeared on April 22. The area was thoroughly searched after his disappearance, but his body was discovered 300m from a path connecting settlements.
In the week following Arian's disappearance, an intense search was conducted around Elm involving up to 1200 forces – fire department, police, Bundeswehr, and aid organizations – using helicopters, drones, tracking dogs, divers, sonar boats, and more.
Unusual measures were taken to entice the child out of any potential hiding spots. Upon parents' request, colorful balloons and sweets were placed in woodland and field areas. At night, helpers set off fireworks, played children's songs loudly, and projected powerful beams of light into the sky with searchlights. The community was also involved, asked to thoroughly search private properties and review CCTV footage.
The extensive search ended at the end of April, but the police continued to work on the case, coordinating additional targeted measures. For instance, the Oste river, flowing through Elm, was systematically searched multiple times and even up to its mouth into the Elbe in May.
Although no crime had been confirmed, the police did not completely rule it out. Camera footage allegedly showed Arian leaving his parents' house and running towards a wooded area in Elm alone. Consequently, the main hypothesis was that the boy might have been moving around, hiding, or even had an accident, such as falling into the Oste.
Authorities claim the farmer discovered something strange while mowing the meadow on Monday and called the police after finding the body. However, the area around the deceased child was not mowed.
