Body found near area where 15-year-old Bradford boy was reported missing, police say

South Simcoe Police say a body has been found in an area where 15-year-old Bradford resident Siem Zerezghi was reported missing.

Police said the body was found in water near Professor Day Drive and Eighth Line area in Bradford close to items that are believed to belong to Zerezghi.

“The South Simcoe Police Service would like to thank the community for the tremendous outpouring of support and assistance to both police and the family,” Acting Deputy Chief John Van Dyke told reporters Friday evening.

“Citizens came forward with security video and sightings that helped us narrow the search.”

Van Dyke said a post-mortem examination needs to be conducted to confirm the identity of the person found.

Rob Keffer, mayor of the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury, issued a statement Friday evening to express his condolences to the family of Zerezghi.

“My most sincere sympathies are with everyone touched by this tragic loss, including his friends and all of the young people who knew Siem,” he wrote.

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“This community has come together over the past several days to look for Siem and to pray for his safe recovery, and we now come together to mourn him.”

2:05 Police reveal new timeline in search for missing Bradford teen

Zerezghi was last seen on surveillance video at around 7:45 a.m. on Saturday moving north on Longview Drive.

Police previously said Zerezghi’s parents reported they last saw their son at their home in the Professor Day and Northgate drives area on the night of Oct. 23. They noticed he was missing the following morning and reported his disappearance to officers.

— With files from Daina Goldfinger