HADDON TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) - A 3-year-old boy who was reported missing Tuesday was found dead three hours later in woods about a half-mile from his home, authorities said.
A family member reported Brendan Link Creato missing at 6 a.m. from a small apartment building in Haddon Township, said Andy McNeil, spokesman with the Camden County prosecutor's office. His body was found at around 9 a.m. by a police dog in Cooper River Park.
The cause of death remains under investigation, and further details have not been disclosed. Authorities are awaiting the results of an autopsy.
Karri Anthony, a friend of the boy's mother's family, said Brandon had been staying at his father's home at the time. His mother lives elsewhere, she said.
The road from Brandon's home to the park runs through a suburban neighborhood with big lots and large homes.
By midday, the park was no longer considered a crime scene, though the area around the boy's home was still cordoned off.
After Brandon was reported missing, police notified nearby residents using a reverse 911 call that described him as wearing pajamas.