Crews recover boy's body out of hole

CARLSBAD, N.M. (KRQE) - It took 24 hours, but rescue crews recovered the body of a 4-year-old Carlsbad boy Monday.

Around 7 o’clock Monday morning crews pulled Samuel Jones from what appears to be an old well in a neighbor's yard.

The body of the little boy is now in route to Albuquerque so that medical investigators can determine exactly how he died.

The case is being investigated as a homicide because of protocol, but investigators say at this point it looks this was just a tragic accident.

The little boy vanished on Saturday from his yard.

A family friend says he was playing outside with his toys and when his mother went to check on him, he was gone.

An amber alert was issued shortly afterward.

Sunday morning searchers found the boys body about 30 feet down in a hole in a neighbor’s yard.

Rescue crews worked through the night to get to the boy. They were finally able to recover his body early Monday morning.

Investigators say it appears the boy fell feet first. They say the conditions including a lack of oxygen made the situation un-survivable.

Medical examiners are expected to perform an autopsy late Monday to determine exactly what caused the death and ensure there is nothing suspicious.

Early on in the search for Samuel, police said there were reports that a boy matching his description was seen with an older man who was not a family member.

Police say after further investigation they have determined the boy who was seen was not Samuel.

Crews are now working to fill that hole.

They believe it is a well dug in the 1940's but they are still looking into it.