Group joins search for missing Ohio boy

Associated Press

DAYTON

A national group joined in the search for a 4-year-old boy missing since March from southwestern Ohio.

Texas Equusearch joined local volunteers in Dayton on Saturday to search the area around the Stillwater River for Zaden McKnight, the Dayton Daily News reported. Police believe the boy is dead, and volunteers have said they want to bring his body back to his family.

McKnight and his mother, Nichelle McKnight, disappeared in March. Dayton police found the 25-year-old mother’s body April 11 on an embankment in the Dayton suburb of Harrison Township. She had two gunshot wounds to the head.

Dave Rader, Texas Equusearch search coordinator, said about 40 volunteers worked from about 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. without finding the boy. The group used canoes, kayaks and electronic equipment.

Zaden McKnight and his mother were last seen shortly after Nichelle McKnight purportedly confronted her boyfriend, Antwan Anderson, about thefts. Anderson died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound during a police shootout after a pursuit April 7.

Rader said his group’s involvement could be useful beyond Saturday.

“Part of our goal is to educate, so some of these methods can be used in other searches,” he said.

Texas Equusearch has been involved in several high-profile missing-person cases.