A 12-year-old Hamilton boy who was the focus of an Amber Alert has been found dead, Hamilton police say.

“We are deeply saddened to confirm that missing person Finnigan Danne has been located, deceased,” police said in a news release.

Yellow police tape cordoned off the spot where the boy was found Sunday, just a few streets away from his home.

Danne had been missing since 10:15 a.m. Saturday. He disappeared in the area of Trudy Court wearing a white T-shirt with a Special Olympics logo, grey shorts and no shoes.

In their initial release Saturday, police said the boy walked with a noticeable limp due a neuromuscular disorder.

His disappearance set off a large search that included police and volunteers.

An Amber Alert was issued for Danne at around 3 p.m. Sunday, but was cancelled just 45 minutes later after his body was found.

Neighbours who scoured the area over the weekend to try and find the boy told CP24 that they were shocked that his body was discovered in the search area where they had been looking.

“I’m stunned because it was a really extensive search,” one neighbor said. “The police were here on horseback yesterday. They went down there – I mean I saw them do it. The police were here with the dogs from yesterday at about two o’clock. I was with them. We didn’t leave anything unturned in this neighbourhood and like a five to 10 mile radius. We were everywhere today – I was in the creek.”

Another volunteer echoed the same sentiment.

“I’m pretty shocked that so many people could have been searching the area and then missed,” she told CP24.

Volunteers and neighbours, many visibly distraught, lit candles outside the boy’s home Sunday night to spell out “Finn,” Danne’s nickname.

It is not yet clear how the boy died. An autopsy is set to be conducted, but few other details about his death have been released so far.