SCOTT TOWNSHIP, PA — A two-day search for a missing 7-year-old boy in Columbia County has ended in tragedy, as Scott Township Police confirmed Sunday that the body of Aiden Ha was recovered from the Susquehanna River.
Aiden, who had autism spectrum disorder and was non-verbal, was last seen at 9 a.m. Saturday in the area of the 2800 block of Old Berwick Road. Police said they believed he was at special risk of harm due to his condition. An extensive multi-agency search was launched, involving local and state police, as well as volunteers.
The heartbreaking discovery was made early Sunday afternoon when a state police helicopter spotted Aiden's body in the river, about a half-mile downstream from where he was last seen. Investigators believe his death was the result of an accidental drowning.