Police Chief Holds Back Tears After Discovering Body Believed To Be Missing 6-Year-Old Boy

Oct 04, 2018 by apost team

Being a law enforcement officer is not an easy job. When people call the police, it is because they are dealing with a crisis. Because of this, police officers encounter the worst situations that people have ever experienced. They deal with the worst parts of humanity each day and put their lives at risk.

While they seem superhuman, some police officers are just like us. In this video of Gastonia Police Chief Robert Helton, you can see just how emotional he is. Like everyone else, the fate of a missing child has left him visibly shaken and distraught.

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It all started on September 22, 2018. Ian Ritch was watching his son, Maddox. Maddox was only six years old and was diagnosed with autism. The North Carolina boy was playing with his father at Rankin Lake Park.

Like many children, Maddox was having a lot of fun. He raced away from his father. Ian realized too late that his son was rapidly outpacing him. He tried to catch up, but it was too late.

After Maddox disappeared, Ian called the police. More than 300 investigators arrived to search the land during the next week. People called in tips to the police, but the police had more questions than answers.

Ian was understandably distraught. He blamed himself for letting his son run away so quickly. While his guilt is understandable, most parents know how easy it is for a child to run off. This could have happened to anyone, and it is only Ian's misfortune that this tragic event happened to his family.

For days, Ian could not eat or sleep. On September 27, 2018, the story came to a tragic end. Members of the search team found the body of a young boy like Maddox near a stream. While they cannot say it is him for sure yet, it seems like the remains are from Maddox.

After the discover, the FBI and local policy gave a press conference. You can see how upset Chief Robert Helton is in the video. He looks distraught and shaken. As he talks, he struggles to keep his voice stable. He even wipes tears from his eyes as he relays the discover of the remains.

The law enforcement officials had hoped to find Maddox alive. This was not the end that they were hoping for. While they have discovered the remains of the poor boy, they have not finished their investigation. Some people have even blamed the father for the son's loss. One park worker said that he never saw a boy enter the park on that day.

While it is natural to try to find someone to blame after a tragedy, assigning blame will not bring Maddox back. Hopefully, the police discover what happened to the boy so that the family can get closure.

Show this video to your friends and family and keep Maddox's family in your prayers.