Tragedy struck as the search for a missing 4-year-old boy from Florida ended in heartbreak. Young Johnathan Everett Boley, affectionately called “John John” by his family, was discovered dead in Alabama, after vanishing during a family visit over the New Year’s holidays.

Johnathan was last seen on New Year’s Eve, when he wandered away from a rural property located off Highway 195 near Jasper, Alabama. While playing outside with his dog, John John disappeared, triggering a massive search operation. Walker County Sheriff Nick Smith outlined the efforts during a press briefing, noting the extensive resources deployed to find the child.

The search involved hundreds of law enforcement personnel, dedicated volunteers, K-9 units, drones, and aircraft, all combing through several square miles of dense woodland in hopes of bringing Johnathan safely home. Despite their efforts, the boy’s body was located on January 2, approximately two miles from where he had last been seen.

In a bittersweet twist, Johnathan’s faithful companion, the family dog, was found alive and nearby. While the cause of Johnathan’s death remains undetermined, authorities are awaiting the results of an official autopsy before any conclusions are drawn.

The body of Johnathan Boley was found in a wooded area near his father’s Alabama home on Jan. 2, 2025. (FOX 13-WTVT)

“This is not the outcome anyone hoped for,” Smith said. “Our hearts go out to this family and everyone who worked tirelessly to bring this child home.”

Authorities said that the young boy and his siblings live with their mother in Florida and were visiting their father for the holidays under a custody arrangement.

The boy was last seen wearing a yellow Mickey Mouse shirt, black pants and Paw Patrol shoes before he disappeared from the home.

Missing 4-year-old Johnathan Everett Boley was found dead about two miles from his father’s home; his dog was found alive nearby. (FOX 13-WTVT)

During the news conference, investigators announced the arrest of the boy’s father, Jameson Kyle Boley, 40, which occurred amid the search.

Officials said Boley was charged with unlawful manufacture of a destructive device after investigators discovered precursor materials at the property.

Jameson Boley, 40, is charged with unlawful manufacturing of a destructive device and two counts of chemical endangerment of a child.  (Blount County Jail)

According to a criminal complaint filed in Walker County District Court, Boley is accused of possessing precursor substances with the intent to unlawfully manufacture a destructive device or bacteriological weapon on or about Dec. 31, 2025, at the Highway 195 address. The charge is a felony under Alabama law, court records show.

Police said that the father’s charge is unrelated to the circumstances surrounding the child’s disappearance and death.

“At this time, there is no evidence indicating foul play in the child’s death, and these charges should not be conflated with the search for Johnathan,” Smith said.

Members of the Church of the Apostles and DaySpring Summer Camp in Parrish, Florida, gathered for a candlelight prayer vigil for Johnathan Boley. (FOX 13-WTVT)

In Parrish, Florida, community members gathered for a candlelight vigil for the young boy.

“For so many of us, our hearts are broken over the tragic loss,” Reverend Douglas Scharf, bishop of the Diocese of Southwest Florida, told FOX 13.

Authorities asked the public to allow the family privacy as they grieve and said additional information would be released when available.