Bedford County officials said they believe they have found the body of 9-year-old Dreyton Sims from the Duck River in Bedford County.
The body was found around 2:30 p.m. Thursday in the Halls Mill area. Search crews had expanded their search Thursday, and that when one of the boat teams came across the body about 3.2 miles from when Dreyton went missing.
Officials said in during a press conference that a positive identification had not yet been made, but the Sims family has since identified him.
Dreyton hadn't been seen since he went under the water after playing near the dam with his 11-year-old brother on July 4.
During the press conference, Bedford County Emergency Management Director Scott Johnson said he hoped the recovery would give the Sims family closure.
Johnson commended the several teams that never gave up even while fighting the dangerous and difficult water conditions. The river rose a couple feet both Wednesday and Thursday after significant rainfalls.
The Sims family released a statement:
"We are truly thankful for our families, friends, volunteers, law enforcement and the community for the outpouring of support and love they showed us."
Multiple gofundme pages were set up for the family: Dreyton's father's side, mother's side, and Dreyton's aunt.
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