A body found in the woods in Kyoto Prefecture has been identified as that of an 11-year-old boy missing since March, investigative sources said Tuesday.
The body of Yuki Adachi, a student at Sonobe Elementary School in Nantan, was found Monday around 2 kilometers southwest of the school. Adachi went missing after his father dropped him off near the school on the morning of March 23.
An autopsy has yet to determine the cause of death, and no obvious external injuries were found on the body, according to prefectural police. The death is estimated to have occurred in late March.
According to the police, the body was found without shoes. A pair of black sneakers possibly belonging to the boy was discovered around 4 km away, with his school backpack found at another location.
Based on the scattered locations of his belongings, police suspect foul play and are continuing their investigation.
The body was found face-up and clad in a fleece top over a sweatshirt, along with beige pants and socks. The clothing was consistent with what Adachi was wearing when last seen. Sneakers found on Sunday also matched Adachi’s in both brand and color, according to investigative sources.
According to Nantan’s board of education, Sonobe Elementary School was temporarily closed Tuesday over concerns that students might become emotionally distressed. People were also seen placing flowers near the site where the body was found.
Editor: Story has been updated to report that the body has been identified as the missing boy.
© KYODO
