Scottish police find 3-year-old Mikaeel Kular's body

Scottish police said Saturday they had found the body of a three-year-old boy who went missing from his bed in Edinburgh, calling off a massive search and reportedly detaining his mother.

Mikaeel Kular, who is of South Asian origin, had last been seen on Wednesday evening at his family's home to the north of the Scottish capital.

Police had launched a major ground, air and sea search while more than 200 volunteers helped comb through woodland and the nearby coastline in a desperate bid to find the little boy.

But early on Saturday morning Assistant Chief Constable Malcolm Graham of Police Scotland announced that Mikaeel's body had been found shortly before midnight on Friday in Fife, to the north of Edinburgh, and that a person had been arrested.

Media reports said the boy's mother, Rosdeep Kular, a 33-year-old with five children, had been detained and that a house in Fife belonging to one of her relatives was being searched.

"As a result of enquiries the body of a young child was recovered in Fife just before midnight. We strongly believe this to be the body of Mikaeel," Graham said.

"A person has been detained in connection with the recovery of the body and members of Mikaeel's family have been informed of the recovery. Our thoughts and sympathies are with them at this time.

"I would like to thank everyone who has responded to these highly unusual events by assisting with searches and other activities in support of this investigation."

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