Missing 10-year-old found dead with gun shot wound in West Virginia

A 10-year-old boy who went missing on a camping trip in West Virginia on Saturday, was found dead Sunday morning, according to a statement provided by the Mason County Sheriff's Office.

"The missing juvenile has been located," the sheriff's office shared. "The case is still under investigation at this time."

Chain of events

Local media outlet WOWK reported that 10-year-old Wyatt Ray Eaves was on a squirrel hunting trip with his grandfather on Saturday in the Salt Creek area of Mason County.

At about 3 p.m. in the afternoon, the Mason County Sheriff’s Office and the local fire and EMS departments responded to an ATV accident in the area, reported WOWK. Upon arriving at the scene, authorities discovered that the accident victim and Eaves had separated an hour before.

A search operation that extended well into the evening was launched to find the young boy, with hundreds of first responders and volunteers involved.

Police also spread the message through social media, sharing a picture of the juvenile and describing his appearance and clothes. Wyatt was carrying a .22 caliber rifle, according to police.

The child's body was discovered the following morning with a single gunshot wound. The police did not reveal further updates on the incident or the investigation details. It remains unclear how the boy received the gunshot wound. The Mason County Sheriff's Department did not respond to USA TODAY's request for information or comment.

While it was not reported what happened to the boy's grandfather, Wyatt's obituary said that he was preceded in death by his grandfather, Delmar Cook.

'Wanted to be a marine'

A resident of Point Pleasant, a city approximately 55 miles north of Charleston, Wyatt was a 5th-grade student at Roosevelt Elementary School.

He enjoyed hunting, fishing, wrestling, heavy metal music and anything to do with the military, his obituary reads. His mother, Adrienne Nibert, told WOWK that her son always wanted to be a Marine.

"He would always tell me, 'Mom, when I turn 18, I’m going to be a Marine.' Everybody at school loved him. He was so respectful. He put everybody else first," Nibert shared.

Nibert also said her son was extremely close to his grandfather.

“If you’ve seen him, you’ve seen his grandpa. They were best friends," Nibert told the local media outlet.

Eaves' burial is expected to take place on Monday, Sept. 18.

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