The parents of two-year-old Chase Martens say they are grateful for the people who came to support the family at the toddler's funeral on Wednesday.

Chase Martens was found dead in a creek Saturday in the Austin, Man., area, about 120 kilometres west of Winnipeg. (Facebook) "It gave me a calming, relief in the heart. Everybody we don't even know just cared so much for our son," said Chase's mother, Destiny Turner.

"Chase would want his mommy and daddy to be happy and keep good care of his sisters. Just move on and we'll meet him again."

Chase's six-year-old sister Danika dropped to her knees crying after waving goodbye to her little brother. Her mother gathered the sobbing girl in her arms after the hearse pulled away.

"It's starting to hit her," Turner said.

"We're just going to keep trying to explain it in the easiest way possible .... they were close, very close."

Chase's service took began at 2 p.m. CT at the Sommerfeld Mennonite Church in MacGregor, Man., about 12 kilometres east of Austin. Family, friends and members of the MacGregor Fire Department entered the church just after 1 p.m.

On Saturday, after an extensive search, the child was found dead in a creek near his family's home in Austin, about 120 kilometres west of Winnipeg.

An autopsy later confirmed he died from drowning.

His family released a statement through the Canadian Centre for Child Protection requesting privacy while they grieve.