Found Deceased MA - Aidan Blanchard, 11, Chicopee, 5 Feb 2021

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Western Mass News spoke exclusively to the city’s mayor with more on the investigation.

The last time anyone saw Aiden Blanchard was on Friday morning. Chicopee Mayor John Vieau said he remains hopeful that Aiden will be found.

“I feel so bad for the Blanchard family that they have to deal with this, and we’re with them as a community,” Vieau said.

Aiden Blanchard, an 11-year-old boy from Chicopee, hasn't been seen since Friday morning.

Police said Aiden was last seen in the Willimansett area near Old Field Road.

Vieau spoke to Western Mass News exclusively for the first time since Aiden's disappearance. He said crews have been searching near the Medina Boat Ramp, where police think Aiden was last heading.

“The city has used all the resources we could to check, and I mean thoroughly check the point of where the Connecticut and Chicopee River meet, where the young man was last seen, and our goal is to try to find him, and we’re doing everything we can until we do,” Vieau said.

“Our dive team actually entered the water. They attempted to see if they could locate or see any signs of anything,” Vieau explained.

A similar scene on Saturday morning, but search crews have been paused since then because of the strong winds and snow.

On Monday evening, Chicopee Police said, “ all evidence thus far substantiates that Aiden was alone near the river when he went missing. No foul play is suspected.“

However, just over one year ago, the city of Chicopee, had similar search crews in place when two boys died after they fell through the ice on the Chicopee River.

When Western Mass News asked Vieau why crews were searching the water for Aiden, and if there are any similarities between the two investigations he said, “stay off of the ice. It’s never safe when you have running water underneath, and that’s what you’re dealing with here at the Connecticut and Chicopee River. Use precaution when you’re near the water's edge; stay away from it if you can. Hopefully, in this particular case, that’s not the outcome.”

“We’re doing everything we can, and we’re hopeful the outcome is a positive one,” Vieau said.
Search continues for missing 11-year-old Chicopee boy


Aiden is a sixth-grader at Edward J. Bellamy Middle School and attended Gen. John J. Stefanik School for elementary school. He also has a brother and sister who are fifth-graders at Stefanik School, Superintendent Lynn A. Clark said.

“Certainly our thoughts and prayers are with his family. He has been with us since kindergarten at Stefanik,” she said.

At both schools the principal, vice principals, counselors, classroom teachers and other educators who may be connected to Aiden or his siblings met on Sunday to discuss how to help children who are upset and worried about his disappearance, Clark said.
Chicopee educators plan crisis counseling while search continues for Aiden Blanchard, a missing sixth-grader
 
Some days, I think WS needs our own trauma and crisis center and counselor Day after day, we see these sad situations. We might imagine these could have been our children. Then we realize there’s so little we can really do. I feel helpless.
 
Was hoping for an update on Aiden - the kind that says found safe. I’m always half afraid to check my threads for updates...part of me wants to know, part of me dreads knowing. Praying for Aiden and those who love him.
 
So is this river actually frozen right now? Is there any way that if he fell in there would be evidence of that? Could it re-freeze that quickly. Forgive me, south Louisiana here. NO knowledge of frozen water..
 
Allynator said:
So is this river actually frozen right now? Is there any way that if he fell in there would be evidence of that? Could it re-freeze that quickly. Forgive me, south Louisiana here. NO knowledge of frozen water..
Click to expand...

It's open, mostly, from what it looked like to me. From the videos I saw I don't think you'd be able to see if someone went in because parts are unfrozen. If you watch around 2:17 the camera gets a good shot of the river. It appears to be open and is moving very fast.

Search continues for missing 11-year-old Chicopee boy
 
Massachusetts State Police

SEARCH FOR MISSING CHICOPEE BOY CONTINUES

Troopers today continue to assist Chicopee Police in the search for missing 11-year-old boy Aiden Blanchard. The Massachusetts State Police Marine Unit is conducting another search of the Connecticut River for any evidence related to Aiden's disappearance.

Aiden was last seen Friday, February 5, 2021 at approximately 11:30 a.m. as he was walking in the Willamansett area of Chicopee, near Old Field Road, and was believed to be heading in the direction of the Medina Street boat launch along the Connecticut River.

Aiden is 5’ tall, 100 lbs., with brown hair and blue eyes, and was last seen wearing a red ski jacket and black ski pants.
Local and State Police previously searched the Connecticut and Chicopee Rivers using divers, boats, drones, and the State Police Air Wing. The area was searched based on information that Aiden was last known to be in the area of the boat ramp. The operation is focued on locating Aiden, or any evidence showing his direction of travel or whereabouts.

All evidence known thus far suggests Aiden was alone and near the river when he went missing. Based on the information currently known to detectives, no foul play is suspected at this time. All leads continue to be investigated.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has created a missing person poster for Aiden. Anyone who has information that may help locate Aiden, or who believes they may have seen him, should immediately call 911, Chicopee Police at 413-594-1639, or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST.






Interesting comments at link, worth a read.
 
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