Massachusetts boy missing for over 2 months found dead

On Wednesday, April 14, 2021 the Chicopee Police Department Underwater Response Team was actively conducting a search of the Chicopee and Connecticut Rivers as part of an ongoing search and recovery operation for a missing boy from Chicopee.

According to the District Attorney’s Office, at 11:15 a.m., officers located a body in the water in between the North End Bridge and Memorial Bridge. The Chicopee Police Detective Bureau and the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Hampden District Attorney’s Office were called to the scene.

The victim was transported to the Hampden County Medical Examiner’s Office, and has been identified as Aiden Blanchard, 12, of Chicopee.

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.

Local police, Massachusetts State Police, and Environmental Police had searched the Connecticut and Chicopee Rivers and the surrounding land on numerous days using officers, K9s, divers, boats, drones, and the MSP Air Wing.

The investigation is ongoing and is being conducted by the Chicopee Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Hampden District Attorney’s Office.