Body of missing Lowell girl, 7, found in Merrimack River, authorities say

The search for a missing 7-year-old Lowell girl came to a tragic end Monday with the apparent discovery of the child’s body in the Merrimack River.

Search crews found a body believed to be that of Anna Mburu — a missing child who had autism and was non-verbal — around noon on Monday, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said.

Anna had been missing since Sunday afternoon, when she disappeared from the driveway of her family’s Geana Lane home, Ryan said. 

Search efforts continued until about 11 p.m. that night, picking up again around 7 a.m. Monday, the DA said. Officers also remained in the area overnight to keep an eye out for the girl, she added. 

Divers searched the river and ultimately found a child’s body about 15 to 20 yards from shore near the Trull Brook Golf Course in Tewksbury, in water that was between 8 to 9 feet deep, Ryan said.

The child’s body showed no obvious signs of trauma, though the DA said the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine an official identity and cause of death. 

“We have no reason to believe that there’s any foul play at this point, and as well, we have no reason to believe that any conduct on the part of anyone led to this,” Ryan said. “As anybody who has children knows, children can disappear in seconds, and it appears to be nothing more — based on what we know now — than a tragic accident.” 

She said the girl’s family has requested privacy as they deal with an “unimaginable loss.”

Ryan noted that the river is several feet higher than normal due to recent rain, acknowledging the “incredible” response by law enforcement officials and neighbors who contributed to the search. 

“It is unusual to locate someone who has gone missing in a moving body of water as quickly as was done here, and that really speaks to the efforts that were made,” she said.

Lowell Superintendent of Police Greg Hudon thanked the various state and local agencies that lent resources and manpower to the search. He said his department is also looking into “emerging technology” that can help authorities locate individuals at high risk of wandering, including those with Alzheimer’s disease or autism. 

In a subsequent press release, the Lowell Police Department shared information about its Project Lifesaver and Safe Watch Program, which is aimed at high-risk individuals. The program helps law enforcement and public safety agencies “implement locative technologies” to track missing people and also fosters partnerships with nonprofit organizations to help prevent wandering and aid rescues, according to the release.

An immediate response is key in those situations, Hudon said, explaining how investigators leaped into action to locate Anna. 

“This was not the way we wanted it to end, unfortunately, but we did everything I think we could possibly do to help the family,” he said.

Abby Patkin

Staff Writer

Abby Patkin is a general assignment news reporter whose work touches on public transit, crime, health, and everything in between.

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