March 19, 2010

SEATTLE (AP) -- A sheriff's spokesman says there's a "strong
probability" that the child's body found washed up on an island in
Puget Sound is that of an 8-year-old Washington state boy who went
missing with his mother last weekend.

A Pierce County sheriff's spokesman says that's based on the
description of the clothing Azriel Smiley was wearing and what
investigators saw at the scene.

The island where the body was found is about 12 miles north of
the remote Olympia beach where the mother's minivan was found on
Sunday.

The van was found partially submerged with its doors open. A
wallet containing Shantina "Kat" Smiley driver's license, some
cash and credit cards was found in the van.

Her fiance told authorities Smiley was a recovering alcoholic
who relapsed last week.