Body found in river is confirmed to be missing boy, 14, as tragic discovery came 48 days after he disappeared

HUMAN remains pulled from a river have been found to belong to a teen who went missing months ago. Taylor Charlton, then 14, was reported missing in Barnstaple, Devon, on May 8, prompting a large-scale search operation. Cops have confirmed that human remains found in the River Taw belong to teen Taylor Charlton Credit: Devon & Cornwall Police Taylor disappeared on May 8 near the River Taw in his hometown of BarnstapleCredit: Refer to source Today, police have confirmed that human remains found in the River Taw on 24 June belong to the teen. His relatives have been updated. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! An investigation into the circumstances of Taylor’s death remains ongoing. Two people who were arrested in connection with his disappearance remain on bail. His disappearance prompted a major search operation that lasted six weeks His shoes were discovered 480m apart along the banks of the river Credit: Devon & Cornwall Police A body was pulled from the water on June 24Credit: Refer to source Taylor’s dad Alex described him as a “loving lad” Credit: SWNS Police are urging the public not to speculate or share any unconfirmed information online. They are asking that anyone with information that could help the investigation to get in touch. The teen was last spotted heading towards the river in Barnstaple in May – with his disappearance sparking a major search operation lasting six weeks before remains were pulled from the river. His shoes were found roughly 480m apart on consecutive days within the first week of the search, which saw helicopters, sonar boats and dive teams deployed. Most read in The Sun During the search, his mum Zoe was accused of complicity in his disappearance, after a woman in her 40s was arrested. She was forced to deny her involvement following of torrent of online abuse. The distraught mum shared her heartbreak, saying she was “absolutely desperate” for Taylor to return hom and insisting that he was “not in trouble”. His dad Alex described him as a “loving, loyal and special lad”. A body was pulled from the water two months later on June 24, with a formal identification confirmed today. More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online Thesun.co.uk is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thesun and follow us on TikTok @TheSun.