Lowell, Massachusetts – The extensive search for 7-year-old Anna Mburu in Lowell has concluded in devastating sorrow. Authorities have confirmed that Anna’s lifeless body was discovered in the Merrimack River, bringing an end to the desperate efforts to locate her.
Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan shared the heart-wrenching news during a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, stating, “We are all heartbroken to be here this afternoon to report that it appears that the end of the search has come with the recovery of a body of a young child preliminarily identified as 7-year-old Anna Mburu.”
Anna’s body was found near the Trull Brook Golf Course in Tewksbury, submerged in the river. The discovery was made around noon after environmental police employed side-scan sonar, which detected an image believed to be Anna. Dive teams were then deployed to search the river, which posed additional challenges due to recent heavy rains causing higher water levels and a swift current. Anna was located approximately 15 to 20 yards from the shore, in water that was 8 to 9 feet deep.
The news of Anna’s tragic fate has left her family devastated and the community in profound grief. As Ryan acknowledged the unimaginable loss that Anna’s family is facing, she also conveyed their request for privacy during this incredibly difficult period.
Anna, who had autism and was nonverbal, was last seen riding her bike in the Belvedere section of Lowell near East Merrimack Street and River Road around 2 p.m. on Sunday. Her family contacted the police on Monday when she went missing from their driveway, triggering a large-scale search effort involving multiple law enforcement agencies and the active participation of the community.
Earlier on Tuesday, authorities appealed to neighbors to search their properties and review any surveillance video footage that might provide clues about Anna’s whereabouts.
“She’s a sweet little girl. She’s funny. She likes art. She likes to paint. She loves to paint. I’m just thinking about the family and how they must be feeling right now,” shared Lisa Labrecque, Anna’s art teacher, who joined the search on Monday morning.
The chief medical examiner will determine the cause of Anna’s death, and foul play is not suspected at this time. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities strive to understand the circumstances surrounding her tragic end.
In remembrance of Anna and in support of her grieving family, a vigil was held at St. Michael Parish in Lowell on Tuesday night. The community comes together to mourn the loss of a young life and offer solace during this painful time.
