FOX ISLAND, Wash. – Police say the body of a boy that washed up on Fox Island in Pierce County Thursday is that of 8-year-old Azriel Carver, who went missing with his mother from Thurston County last weekend.
Someone walking on the beach on Fox Island spotted the body around 2 p.m. and called police. A Pierce County Sheriff's Department spokesman confirmed it was Azriel about 3 hours later.
Police have been searching for Azriel and his mother, Shantina "Kat" Smiley, 29, of Silverdale since they disappeared last Saturday. Smiley's minivan was found partially submerged in Budd Inlet on Sunday. Fox Island is about 12 miles from where the minivan was found.
"We are grieving the loss of Azriel, and praying for Shantina. We are all severely hurting. We are getting the family together so we can grieve together, and so we can have some sort of peace right now," said Robb Simmons, Shantina's fiance.
Jed Carver, Azriel's father, came to the beach while detectives and the medical examiner were on scene trying to identify his son.
"You really don't know what you have in your life until they're gone," said Carver. "It's a sad turn of events."
Carver lives in Buffalo, New York. He arrived at Sea-Tac Tuesday night after hearing of his son's disappearance.
"He could have offered a lot to this world," said Carver.
A Coast Guard helicopter from Port Angeles and detectives in boats are searching the water to see if there is another body.
KING'5s Drew Mikkelsen and Chris Daniels contributed to this report.
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