A two-year-old boy who fell into a river in Leicester has been named by police.
Xielo Maruziva fell into River Soar on Sunday at around 5pm while out with his family in Aylestone Meadows, on the outskirts of Leicester.
His father went into the water and attempted to rescue him, but the boy was not located “despite the best efforts of those at the scene”.
Leicestershire Police launched a large-scale police search for the boy, however, he is yet to be found.
The boy’s mother described Xielo as a “cheeky, funny, friendly, smart, caring and independent little boy”.
“He never fails to make me laugh or smile and always loves a cuddle and some kisses,” she said.
“Xielo loves playing with his toys and watching cartoons including Bino and Fino.
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“Me, his dad and the whole family are so heartbroken at what has happened. We thank everyone who has supported us and helped us during this time. We are extremely grateful for this.
“All we want is for Xielo to be found as soon as possible. Thank you.”
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Xielo’s father added: “Xielo is a bundle of joy to us.
“He is a charming and creative little boy and has just started at nursery. He loves cuddles, playing with his toys and going to the park.”
Police searching for Xielo say they have CCTV footage which they believe shows the moment he fell into the water.
Assistant Chief Constable Michaela Kerr, who is leading the search for the boy, gave an update at a news conference on Tuesday afternoon.
“We have now recovered CCTV imagery that we believe shows the moment when the little boy disappeared into the water and we have been able to establish some further information from dog walkers and members of the local community,” she said.
