Anguish in wake of boy’s death at Boston beach
Family and friends of Kyzr Willis comforted one another.
By Travis Andersen
A desperate search from air, land, and water for a 7-year-old boy who went missing at a city-run day camp in South Boston came to a horrifying conclusion Tuesday night when his body was found in the water off Carson Beach, police said.
Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans told reporters at the scene that the Boston police Harbor Unit, along with Quincy police, found the body of Kyzr Willis of Dorchester shortly before 7:10 p.m. The child was located in the water behind the Curley Community Center, which includes the L Street bathhouse, police said.
RELATED: South Boston boy’s mother says camp never said he was missing
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Kyzr was attending the center’s camp, which runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
“My heart goes out to the family,” Evans said. “This is a tragedy.”
He said the bathhouse will remain closed until further notice while police investigate.
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Melissa Willis said no one at the city-run day camp ever called her to say her child was missing. Instead, she found out from her 9-year-old niece.
Mayor’s statement on boy’s death
Evans added that authorities “put their heart and soul” into finding Kyzr.
Kyzr Willis.
“Obviously our hearts break for the family,” he said. “It’s everyone’s worst nightmare.”
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Evans provided no additional details about how the boy slipped away unnoticed by camp staff members.
Shortly before 7:40 p.m., family members sprinted into the community center and then began wailing inside.
Cries of “no!” and “terrible!” and, in Spanish, “My God!” could be heard above the sobs. One man shouted “My nephew’s gone!”
Kyzr’s mother, Melissa Willis, and several other family members left the center at 8:30 p.m. after the devastating news with a police escort. They did not speak to reporters.
Sherie Seymore, a family friend and assistant pastor of the church the family attends, said they want to know how Kyzr evaded the watch of his camp counselors.
“Everyone wants to know,” she said. “If they saw him go into the bathhouse, how come they never saw him come out?”
Kyzr was last seen at about 2:05 p.m. at the bathhouse, according to State Police.
State troopers searched the beach area for the child, and Boston police officers were going to check the boy’s home, State Police spokesman Dave Procopio said.
The search included State Police helicopters circling above the beach and troopers in boats combing the water. Beach lifeguards and a Boston Fire Department vessel also searched in the water.
Willis, 32, said earlier outside the bathhouse before Kyzr had been found that she dropped her son off for camp at 9:45 a.m. The camp is run by the Boston Centers for Youth & Families, a city agency.
Willis said her son did not show up when she returned to the bathhouse shortly before 3 p.m. to retrieve him.
“He’s a good kid,” she said. “I don’t know why he would ever go off. . . . He’s always with an adult.”
She described her son, who was scheduled to attend first grade at the Mather Elementary Sc
By Travis Andersen
A desperate search from air, land, and water for a 7-year-old boy who went missing at a city-run day camp in South Boston came to a horrifying conclusion Tuesday night when his body was found in the water off Carson Beach, police said.
Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans told reporters at the scene that the Boston police Harbor Unit, along with Quincy police, found the body of Kyzr Willis of Dorchester shortly before 7:10 p.m. The child was located in the water behind the Curley Community Center, which includes the L Street bathhouse, police said.
RELATED: South Boston boy’s mother says camp never said he was missing
ADVERTISEMENT
Kyzr was attending the center’s camp, which runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
“My heart goes out to the family,” Evans said. “This is a tragedy.”
He said the bathhouse will remain closed until further notice while police investigate.
View Story
S. Boston center closed as family mourns boy’s death
Melissa Willis said no one at the city-run day camp ever called her to say her child was missing. Instead, she found out from her 9-year-old niece.
Mayor’s statement on boy’s death
Evans added that authorities “put their heart and soul” into finding Kyzr.
Kyzr Willis.
“Obviously our hearts break for the family,” he said. “It’s everyone’s worst nightmare.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Evans provided no additional details about how the boy slipped away unnoticed by camp staff members.
Shortly before 7:40 p.m., family members sprinted into the community center and then began wailing inside.
Cries of “no!” and “terrible!” and, in Spanish, “My God!” could be heard above the sobs. One man shouted “My nephew’s gone!”
Kyzr’s mother, Melissa Willis, and several other family members left the center at 8:30 p.m. after the devastating news with a police escort. They did not speak to reporters.
Sherie Seymore, a family friend and assistant pastor of the church the family attends, said they want to know how Kyzr evaded the watch of his camp counselors.
“Everyone wants to know,” she said. “If they saw him go into the bathhouse, how come they never saw him come out?”
Kyzr was last seen at about 2:05 p.m. at the bathhouse, according to State Police.
State troopers searched the beach area for the child, and Boston police officers were going to check the boy’s home, State Police spokesman Dave Procopio said.
The search included State Police helicopters circling above the beach and troopers in boats combing the water. Beach lifeguards and a Boston Fire Department vessel also searched in the water.
Willis, 32, said earlier outside the bathhouse before Kyzr had been found that she dropped her son off for camp at 9:45 a.m. The camp is run by the Boston Centers for Youth & Families, a city agency.
Willis said her son did not show up when she returned to the bathhouse shortly before 3 p.m. to retrieve him.
“He’s a good kid,” she said. “I don’t know why he would ever go off. . . . He’s always with an adult.”
She described her son, who was scheduled to attend first grade at the Mather Elementary Sc
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