FAIRBANK, Iowa – Officials with the Iowa Department of Public Safety, early this (Saturday) morning, said that at around 5:05-p.m. Friday (October 28, 2022), the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a missing four year old child. The child was reportedly last seen at approximately 3:45 PM Friday, in the front yard of his residence in the 1400 block of 145th Street Fairbank, IA.

Multiple agencies responded to assist with the search.  An extensive search was conducted of the residence, curtilage, surrounding fields, ditches, structures and ponds.  At approximately 11:40 PM, the child was found deceased in a neighboring pond.

The investigation is ongoing however no foul play is suspected.  An autopsy will be conducted by the Office of the Iowa State Medical Examiner.

As previously mentioned, this is multi-agency investigation conducted by the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Iowa State Patrol, Independence Police Buchanan Department Emergency Management Office, Hazelton Fire Department, Fairbank Fire Department, Jessup Fire Department, Independence Fire Department and Rowley Fire Department.