Authorities in Alabama vow to continue their frantic search for the body of a missing boy who vanished during a shrimping trip with his father and is presumed dead.
Hunter Slezak, 7, went missing Friday with his dad, Michael Slezak, and family friend, Sam Wooley, while shrimping near Pelican Bay in Mobile, Alabama, according to the Mobile County Sheriff's Office.
The two mens' bodies were recovered Saturday, but Hunter remains missing.
"I don't plan on suspending anything until we find the boat. And more importantly, Hunter," Sheriff Paul Burch told reporters of local law enforcement's continued search efforts Monday.
His promise comes a day after the U.S. Coast Guard announced its plans to suspend its search for the boy after scouring over 2,000 square miles in 65 hours, according to AL.com.
Burch suspects Hunter might be trapped in the boat's cabin, citing the cold and windy weather the day he disappeared. Authorities are acting on the assumption the boat capsized.
"You've lost a father, a husband and a young son – and right here at the holidays – and I couldn't imagine being in that situation," said Burch. "It's a tragedy that no one could really imagine unless they've been through it. But we do understand the mom wants her son recovered so she can say a proper goodbye. And we will expend all resources that we have to help accomplish that."
Hunter's mother, Meg Slezak, pleaded for the public's help in locating her child Sunday on Facebook.
"I just need the closure of having his body to bury," Meg wrote in part, asking for volunteers with boats or planes to help find her boy. "I didn't think my heart could shatter anymore than this but not at least being able to find my son's body is so incredibly painful. Mommas, hold your babies. They could be taken in a blink of an eye. This is THE WORST pain ever."
Hunter's dad, Michael, was a father of five and a beloved middle school teacher and baseball coach who "spent his life serving others, making everyone feel loved. He never met a stranger!" according to a GoFundMe launched to help the family offset funeral costs.
"The Slezak family is grieving the loss of their husband and father, and their precious only son and brother," the description read. "Michael and his wife, Megan, had plans to live a long and full life on their farm. Now, those plans have been derailed, and Megan is trying to pick up the pieces and ensure her daughters' needs are met for now and the future, all while grieving."
