A farmer found a child’s body while mowing in the German state of Lower Saxony, the police reported on Tuesday.

The farmer discovered the body on Monday at 4:30 p.m. (1430 GMT) in Estorf municipality in the district of Stade, about 80 kilometres west of Hamburg, the police statement said.

The police said that no information could be provided about the exact location and the circumstances of the discovery, and that it was not initially possible to determine the child’s identity.

A six-year-old boy named Arian has been missing in the region since April 22.

For about a week, emergency services and volunteers, at times up to 1,200 of them, searched for the boy day and night.

Specialists from the investigation group of Arian’s case have conducted a forensic analysis of the discovery site, but no further details were initially released.

The police have multiple theories about Arian’s disappearance.

The most likely scenario is that Arian had an accident without any involvement of third parties.

Small footprints found near the Oste River, likely Arian’s, could indicate this was not a criminal case, according to the police. 

(dpa/NAN)