The RCMP have confirmed that a two-year-old boy who went missing from his Manitoba home died of drowning.
Chase Martens disappeared last Tuesday, when his parents said he was last been seen playing outside their home.
His disappearance prompted a massive search involving hundreds of volunteers and authorities on foot, horseback, ATV and helicopter.
On Thursday, Chase's parents issued a plea, asking anybody who might have information on their son to come forward.
But the desperate search ended in tragedy on Saturday, when a search and rescue group found the toddler's body in a rural creek, a mere 500 metres from his home in Austin, Man.
Following the discovery, the Canadian Centre for Child Protection issued a statement on behalf of the boy's family, expressing their despair.
"The family of Chase Martens is completely devastated as they come to grips with the tragic loss of their little boy," the statement said.
Mourners held a vigil for the toddler at the family's home on Sunday, the same day an autopsy was scheduled to be performed on the boy's remains.
On Monday, the Manitoba RCMP issued a tweet confirming the cause of death.
"Autopsy by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirms the Chase Martens' death was the result of drowning," the tweet said.
Autopsy by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirms that Chase MARTENS' death was the result of drowning. #rcmpmb
— RCMP Manitoba (@rcmpmb) March 28, 2016
Police say there were no obvious signs of foul play and that it appears the boy wandered out of his front yard.
With files from The Canadian Press and CTV Winnipeg
