As the clock ticked into the new year, the community held its breath, hoping for a miracle. Sadly, the Walker County Sheriff’s Office delivered heartbreaking news on Friday. Sheriff Nick Smith announced that Johnathan’s lifeless body had been found approximately two miles from his father’s residence. Miraculously, Buck, the family dog, was discovered alive by his side.

In a somber press conference, Sheriff Smith revealed, “We have located Johnathan, and Johnathan is deceased.” The sheriff’s words marked a tragic end to a desperate search, leaving the community to mourn the loss of a young life cut tragically short.

Walker County Sheriff Nick Smith told reporters Friday they found Johnathan’s body with Buck still alive near him, roughly two miles from his father’s home. 

“We have located Johnathan, and Johnathan is deceased,” Smith said in a press conference.

It’s unclear how the toddler died. 

Volunteers and the FBI searched for Johnathan in the area he’d last been seen, but had to pause due to possible explosives on the child’s father Jameson Boley’s property and in the woods. Smith later clarified the devices in the woods were deemed to be non-explosive. 

Authorities took Jameson Boley into custody after explosive materials were found during a search of his property Thursday, according to CBS 42. NBC News reported he was arrested on an explosives-related charge and charged with two counts of chemical endangerment of a child. They did not add additional details about the charges. 

Johnathan was living with his mother, who moved to Florida last year and is separated from Jameson Boley, but visiting his father as part of a custody agreement, according to NBC News. 

“Like so many of you across our community, we’re aware and devastated by this news,” Smith said in a press conference. “This is going to be a very hard time, this is going to be a hard time for our community.” 

No other information is available at this time.