(Cedar Grove, Ind.) - After four days of searching, the body of a 17-month-old boy was found in the Whitewater River Saturday afternoon.

Mitchell O’Banion had been missing since Wednesday. He was kayaking with his parents near Cedar Grove when their kayak hit a log on the river, and capsized.

New Trenton Fire Department Chaplain Todd Wolfe broke the news to the media that the toddler’s body was found Saturday. He read a letter from the child’s parents, Carmen Sickmeier and Lawrence O'Banion of Independence, Ky.

“We thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and concerns. We extend our gratefulness to the community for your support and your prayers,” Wolfe read from the letter.

O’Banion’s body was found by searchers in the river near New Trenton. An autopsy is still to be performed to determine an exact cause of death.

Franklin County Sheriff’s Office investigators say the story the parents have given have been accurate.

The family’s camera was found during the search, with photos of their trip according to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

Sickmeier and O’Banion could face charges because Mitchell’s lifejacket was not properly secured.  That lifejacket was found unbuckled about a mile downriver on Thursday.

“They are devastated. It’s been quite a tragedy for everybody, including the people that were searching,” said Indiana Conservation Officer Steve Miller.

LINKS:

Search For Boy In River Ongoing In Third Day

Search Continues For Child In River

Toddler Lost In Whitewater River