Human remains have been recovered from the River Taw in Devon as part of the search for missing teenager Taylor Charlton. The discovery was made by Devon and Cornwall Police on Wednesday afternoon near Sticklepath.
Taylor Charlton, 15, was last seen on CCTV footage at 10:41 p.m. on May 8 near a footpath by the Tarka Leisure Centre and Seven Brethren car park in Barnstaple. He was observed heading in the direction of the River Taw. Six weeks of searches by official teams and local groups had failed to locate him.
Taylor's family has been informed of the development. Police confirmed that formal identification of the remains has not yet taken place. Officers remained in the area on Thursday to conduct further inquiries.
A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police stated, "We understand that this update will impact the local community, and we ask the public to avoid speculating and await updates from police in due course. They are being supported by specialist officers and we ask that their privacy is respected at this time."
In connection with the disappearance, a 20-year-old man was arrested on June 12 on suspicion of murder. He was interviewed by police and subsequently released on bail until September.
Taylor, who is from Barnstaple, was 14 when he went missing and had recently celebrated his 15th birthday. In a public appeal, his mother, Zoe, expressed her desperation for his safe return, saying, "I love you so much and I am worried sick about you." His father, Alex, described Taylor as a "loving, loyal and special lad."