Body found by railroad likely that of missing autistic boy

NEEDLES, Calif. (AP) - Authorities say a body found by railroad tracks near Yucca, Arizona is likely that of an autistic 8-year-old boy who was reported missing from his home in the Southern California desert.

San Bernardino County Sheriff's officials said Kaden Lamphear's disappearance from his home in Needles Saturday morning triggered an extensive search.

However, about 2 ½ hours later authorities learned a young boy's body was found along railroad tracks in a rural area near Yucca.

The boy's identification and cause of death were under investigation, though detectives believe the body was Kaden's and that he was struck by a train.

Officials said evidence indicates he boarded a train near his home in Needles, along the California-Arizona border, and traveled about 40 miles to Yucca where he got off.