A man\u2019s body has been discovered in the same bushland near where police are searching for a 17-year-old boy in the state\u2019s east.<\/p>\n
Victoria Police confirmed a deceased male was discovered in Walhalla on Monday morning, less than 20kms from where a search is underway for Latrobe Valley boy, William.<\/p>\n
While police have yet to formally identify the body, they believe it is missing 76-year-old man Geoffrey, who was last seen on Church Rd in Walhalla on Friday evening.<\/p>\n
Police said a report was being prepared for the coroner, however the death was not being treated as suspicious.<\/p>\n
It comes after police issued a further plea to a man and a woman who helped search for Will, alongside his friend, soon after he went missing near Stoney Creek Rd on Friday.<\/p>\n
A Victoria Police spokesperson said local and specialist police units were continuing to search for Will.<\/p>\n
Will, who has autism, had set up a campsite with a friend near the Thomson River, down from Stoney Creek Rd, when police believe he became disorientated and left the T2 track about 4pm.<\/p>\n
Victoria Police conducted an extensive search for Will over the weekend.<\/p>\n
They were especially concerned for his welfare given cold weather, the fact he was wearing shorts and had virtually no trace of his whereabouts.<\/p>\n
Will\u2019s mother Elizabeth Barkley said: \u201cNow I\u2019m worried, he\u2019s been out there for two days. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s probably cold, hungry \u2026 I just hope he\u2019s curled up somewhere and gone to sleep,\u201d An emotional Ms Barkley said: \u201cHe\u2019s a really good kid, I\u2019m just so worried because it\u2019s very unlike him.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know when we find him he\u2019s never going camping again \u2026 it\u2019s just one of my worst nightmares; you\u2019re son\u2019s missing, you just don\u2019t know where he is, whether he\u2019s still alive or is he okay or whatever.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I\u2019m just really, really worried \u2026 I just want him back home.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her son had no camping experience and was unfamiliar with the terrain.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just don\u2019t know what\u2019s happened. He\u2019s missed the turn off, kept walking straight on the T2 track,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
After dropping Will off, it is understood the teen set up the campsite with his mate before heading back to the drop-off area to fetch the remaining camping gear, including an esky, pillows, a tackle box and a table.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe found the esky, but just no sign of him \u2026 he\u2019s just vanished,\u201d Ms Barkley said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m just really worried because he only had shorts on because it was hot.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPolice believe at this stage Will may have become disoriented and lost his way in the surrounding terrain,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cPolice and family members are growing increasingly concerned for Will as he was wearing minimal clothes at the time \u2013 a pair of shorts and work boots \u2013 and due to the weekend inclement weather.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The steep trail from the campsite to the drop off area is a 20 minute walk, with dense bushland either side.<\/p>\n
Will\u2019s friend, who was understandably shaken following his friend\u2019s disappearance, told Ms Barkley when he went to help collect the camping gear, he didn\u2019t pass Will heading back along the track.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe called out, he couldn\u2019t find (him), he yelled and yelled and there was no answer,\u201d she said<\/p>\n
Speaking through tears, Ms Barkley said the past 48 hours had been \u201chorrible\u201d, barely able to slept or eat.<\/p>\n
\u201cI try to get a few hours sleep but then I wake up and I can\u2019t sleep knowing that I\u2019m safe in bed, warm, with food and he\u2019s out there somewhere \u2026 he\u2019d be so scared,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a mum\u2019s boy so he\u2019d be missing me a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n
Acting Supt Melanie Hamshere said police were looking to speak with a man and woman who helped Will\u2019s friend in the moments after Will went missing.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnother vehicle had stopped and helped Will\u2019s friend when he was looking for Will,\u201d Supt Hamshere said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat vehicle was a white Ute (with a black canopy on it) and it had a male and female on-board: the male had a beard.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019d be keen to hear from the male and female that assisted Will\u2019s friend on Friday evening.\u201d<\/p>\n
Will did have a mobile phone but he had left it back at the campsite.<\/p>\n
Supt Hamshere said Will was in good spirits prior to his going missing.<\/p>\n
With poor weather conditions having hampered the area over the weekend, and the fact that Will had little clothing on him at the time, police have spared no expense in their search effort thus far.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are concerned for Will\u2019 safety and that\u2019s why we\u2019re really focused on locating Will,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe terrain out there is quite dense: it\u2019s thick, dense bush, there\u2019s tracks that are accessible but the bush itself is quite thick and treacherous.\u201d<\/p>\n
All up the search effort has included up to 70 personnel, including officers from the Public Order Response Team, Dog Squad, Mounted Branch, Search and Rescue Squad and State Emergency Services personnel will also join the search. <\/p>\n
Police have set up a command post in Cowwarr on Sunday to co-ordinate the search which involves officers from Maffra, Sale, Rosedale, Morwell, Bairnsdale and bikes from the Gippsland motorcycle branch.<\/p>\n
Anyone with information is urged to call triple-0, Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or Sale police station on 5142 2200.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A man\u2019s body has been discovered in the same bushland near where police are searching for a 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