Bodies of a woman and young boy found in Gungahlin pond in Canberra as police look for missing boy

Police have launched an urgent search for a young boy after the bodies of a woman and a boy thought to be her son were found in a pond.

Officers are searching Yerrabi Pond at Gungahlin in the ACT for the boy after the bodies of the woman and boy were found in the water early on Saturday.

The dead woman was described as the mother of the deceased boy by 9News while police believe she is also the mother of the missing boy, who they hold grave concerns for. 

The missing child was originally reported as being a girl until police corrected the information. 

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Officers are searching Yerrabi Pond at Gungahlin in the ACT for the boy after the bodies of the woman and boy were found in the water early on Saturday (pictured)

Divers are searching the water (pictured) while other officers scour through surrounding bushland

State Emergency Services are at the scene, while 30 police officers are taking part in the operation (pictured)

The bodies were discovered when police arrived at the area at 8am (pictured, police at the scene)

It is understood both children are under the age of 10, the Canberra Times reported.

Police later removed a white Subaru with a baby seat in the back of it from the water’s edge, which locals said had been at the park since 4am.

‘I opened the gate, noticed it was not locked with a child seat in back. I actually opened the door to see if keys (no keys) were in it, to move for access,’ local resident Rod Wheatley said on Facebook. 

ACT Policing Detective Superintendent Hall O’Meagher said a land and waterway search was underway to find the girl. 

He told reporters that officers had received a call from a member of the pubic when they spotted what they thought was a body in the lake. 

The bodies were discovered when police arrived at the area at 8am.   

‘The cause and manner of [the deaths] is not known at this time,’ he told reporters on Saturday. 

‘It’s very early in the investigation and inquiries are continuing.

ACT Policing Detective Superintendent Hall O’Meagher said a land and waterway search was underway to find the girl (pictured) 

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‘It’s a very tragic situation … and we are making inquiries with the family of the deceased … who are assisting us with our inquiries at this time.’

Divers are searching the water while other officers scour through surrounding bushland.

The water is believed to be murky after recent rain, making it more difficult to search. Police are understood to be using a drone for a better view.  

Police have said there is no ongoing threat to the community, while the next of kin had been informed. 

‘Our thoughts go out to them, and also to the responding police who’ve had to deal with this tragic circumstance here this morning,’ Detective Superintendent O’Meagher said. 

‘It is a distressing situation for the first responders – the police, SES and all the services that we rely upon to give us the assistance we need in these circumstances – but rest assured we have welfare support to provide to those officers today and in the days coming.’

It is unknown as yet whether the deaths were accidental or not.

State Emergency Services are at the scene, while 30 police officers are taking part in the operation. 

A report on the deaths will be prepared for the coroner. 

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Police have said there is no ongoing threat to the community, while the next of kin had been informed (pictured investigations being carried out at the scene)