Body of boy swept away by Outer Banks wave found

Outer Banks in Rodanthe, North Carolina on Jan. 10, 2018. Photographer: Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images 

The body of a four-year-old boy who authorities say was swept out to sea while walking with his mother on a North Carolina beach has been found, according to the Kitty Hawk Police Department. 

At 7:40 a.m. Monday, April 30 the body of Wesley Belisle was located by the Currituck County Sheriff's Office on Carova Beach in Currituck County.

Related: Crews seek signs of boy swept to sea from N. Carolina beach

Wesley's family has been notified and are making arrangements for him to be transported back to New Hampshire, where the family is from. 

"We hope that the outpouring of compassion and offers of support, thoughts and prayers to the Belisle family from people all over the world can bring them some amount of solace in this time of tremendous grief," Chief Joel C. Johnson said. 

The U.S. Coast Guard told media outlets that the boy and his mother were walking along the shore in Kitty Hawk last Wednesday afternoon when a wave hit the boy and carried him out into the ocean.

Related: Boy swept out to sea while walking on North Carolina beach 

Officials say the mother ultimately lost sight of her son as he went further from the shore.

Crews combed 130 square miles before suspending their search Wednesday. Local officials and volunteers continued to look for signs of the boy until he was found Monday morning.