Police searching for boy, 5, who wandered away from his birthday party find body in canal

Search and rescue UTVs blasted Matthew’s favorite song, ‘The Wheels on the Bus’, in hopes of finding him

Matthew Glynn, 5, was found dead on August 5, 2024, after he wandered away from his birthday party and fell into a canal near his home in Boise. Glynn was nonverbal and autistic and was reportedly drawn to water, according to his family (Boise Police Department)

Idaho police believe they have found the body of a five-year-old boy who wandered away from his own birthday party on Monday.

Matthew Glynn disappeared from his Boise home late Monday during a party celebrating his fifth birthday, according to the Boise Police Department. He was wearing his Batman pajamas the night of his disappearance. Police ultimately found the child dead in a canal.

The boy's family reported him missing just before 6pm local time on Monday, which kicked off a massive search involving UTVs, ATVs, scent-tracking dogs and drones.

The UTVs were equipped with speakers that played "The Wheels on the Bus" — Matthew’s favorite song — in an effort to draw out the child. The five-year-old was nonverbal and had autism.

"When you have an autistic subject that's nonverbal, they tend to exhibit preferences and behaviors that are potentially a little bit more predictable," Idaho Mountain Search and Rescue spokesperson Scotty Perkins said during a press conference. "So, we employed some of those strategies that we had been given."

Matthew's family said the boy was drawn to water. As a result, much of the search effort was focused on the canal area, though police did conduct door-to-door checks of neighbors' backyards as well.

Among the searchers were members of the Idaho Mountain Search and Rescue group. Approximately 30 members were involved in the effort, including some that used mountain bikes to search a greenbelt.

The search reportedly ended on Tuesday when the child's body was found in the Farmers Union Canal. The canal was approximately a half-mile north of where Matthew went missing, police said.

Matthew's mother spoke to local broadcaster KTVB on Tuesday. She is expectedly "heartbroken" over the loss of her son, and encouraged the public to wear blue on Wednesday as it was Matthew's favorite color.

"We are heartbroken over this development today," Boise Police Chief Ron Winegar said in a statement. "We want to thank our many partners for their response as well as the public for their willingness to help another member of our community in a time of need."

Investigators said there are no signs of foul play. An official identification is still forthcoming from the Adam County Coroner's Office.

"Sadly, this is not the outcome we were all hoping for. Our hearts go out to Matthew's family, and we extend our deepest condolences during this incredibly difficult time," Boise Fire Chief Mark Niemeyer said in a statement.