Authorities attempting to find the remains of a 4-year-old boy who went missing in national park

VICKSBURG, Miss. (Vicksburg Daily News) – Authorities are currently searching for a 4-year-old boy who went missing in the Jean Laffite National Historical Park and Preserve on Thursday.

The boy, Ellis Baudean, was accompanied by his mother and 3-year-old sibling around 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. While walking back to their vehicle, the mother heard a splash and turned around to find Ellis missing.

The family was near Twin Canals Trail in the 6300 block of Barataria Boulevard when the tragic incident took place. The mother dived into the murky waters but was unable to locate her son.

At this point it, is a recovery operation and not a rescue. Divers from the local Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office have been using equipment, such as sonar, to try and locate the missing child, but have come up empty handed. The divers have almost no vision under the swampy waters.

The local Sheriff has had help searching the area and waterways from the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office, the National Park Service, the Jean Lafitte Police Department, Jefferson Parish fire departments and Louisiana Underwater Search and Recovery, according to The New Orleans Advocate.

Cadaver dogs have been called on for Friday’s search, which will focus on the waterways. The areas of the park to be searched have not been closed to the public. The Sheriff’s Office is cautioning volunteers seeking to help with the search to be mindful of dangerous wildlife in the area.