Major search to continue overnight for missing two-year-old who fell into river

The major search is to continue overnight for the missing two-year-old who fell into a river. Specialist dive teams will spend the night searching the River Soar in Leicester after the toddler, who had been with his family in the area, fell into the water at 5pm on Sunday (February 18).

A man, understood to be the boy’s father, had been treated in hospital as a precautionary measure after entering the water to attempt a rescue. The two-year-old local boy went missing on a section of towpath beside the river.

Specialist teams were deployed to the area on Sunday night, evening, including Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service, and the operation continued overnight with force units using night vision goggles searching the area.

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Leicestershire Police assistant chief constable Michaela Kerr said police are doing everything they can to find the boy 'as quickly as possible'.

She added: “I would like to reassure people that there will continue to be policing presence and policing activity overnight at the river. But I would like to remind people, please, don’t come down to the scene.”

Sergeant Chris Haines, who is leading the search operation, said: “Underwater dive teams are doing extensive searches, which they are continuing at present.” He added that searches will continue “over the next couple of days”.

A long-standing resident whose home overlooks Aylestone Meadows said flooding from the River Soar in recent weeks had left parts of the nature reserve in a treacherous state. She said a helicopter had initially flown over the area for around an hour after reports that a two-year-old child had fallen in the river.

The resident, who did not wish to be named,