Send this page to someone via email

Share this item on Twitter

Share this item via WhatsApp

Share this item on Facebook

AUSTIN, Man. — The search for two-year-old Chase Martens has ended tragically.

“Earlier today a family, a community and a province’s worst nightmare became a reality,” RCMP Sgt. Bert Paquet said Saturday at 5:30 p.m.

RELATED: Timeline of missing Manitoba boy Chase Martens

Martens was last seen Tuesday night in the front yard of his family’s home in Austin, Man. His body was found in a creek about half a kilometre south of the home at 1 p.m. on Saturday, five days later. RCMP say there’s no sign of foul play.

RCMP first announced on Twitter at 2:45 p.m. that Chase Martens’ body was found.

Story continues below advertisement

On Saturday, RCMP announced that they found the body of Chase Martens, who went missing 5 days earlier. Global News

His body was found by a group of Winnipeg volunteers. Paquet thanked everyone who helped spread word of the search over social media and all of the volunteers who came out to help.

“I would estimate about 30,000 volunteer hours were donated this week. Majority of them people who were total strangers to the Martens family.” Tweet This

WATCH: Global’s Skyview-1 helicopter over the search on Wednesday and Thursday

Story continues below advertisement

“There’s no obvious signs of foul play but we need to, we owe it to the family, to the province to exercise due diligence,” Paquet said.

RCMP, along with hundreds of volunteers, scoured fields, bushes and waterways around the home for days before his body was found. The mounties thanked the volunteers for all their help over the past week.

The autopsy is expected to be done Sunday.

WATCH: Parents of Chase Martens made an emotional plea Thursday

1:39 ‘Chase has vanished without a trace’: parents of missing 2-year-old make emotional plea for son ‘Chase has vanished without a trace’: parents of missing 2-year-old make emotional plea for son

Police were also using drones to help with the search, and they had recently began focusing search efforts on nearby bodies of water.

RELATED: How police are using drones in the search for Chase Martens and other missing people

Austin is about 120 kilometres west of Winnipeg.

Story continues below advertisement

PHOTO GALLERY: Hundreds came out to help search for two-year-old Chase Martens

Searchers walk in a line near where two-year-old Chase Martens went missing. Global News Members of the canine unit out searching for missing two -year-old Chase Martens. Global News The line of searchers scouring the area near Austin, Manitoba where two-year-old Chase Martens went missing. Global News Vehicles lined up as searcher tried to find two-year-old Chase Martens. Jeremy Desrochers / Global News RCMP canine unit searching Hwy. 1 near Hwy. 34 for two-year-old Chase Martens. Lorraine Nickel / Global News RCMP update media about the search for missing two-year-old Chase Martens in Austin, Manitoba on March 23. Jeremy Desrochers / Global News Story continues below advertisement The command centre set up at the home where two-year-old Chase Martens went missing. Global News Searchers use quads to help look for Chase Martens Friday afternoon near Austin, Man. Global News