POULSBO, Wash. -- Back in Azriel Carver's hometown of Poulsbo, it was a day of grieving.
"It breaks my heart. It really does. It's really sad," said one parent.
It's a heartbreaking lesson in life and death for students and teachers of second grader Azriel. Parents at Vinland Elementary received an email sent from the principal saying: "We are all shocked and saddened by the event. Those of us who knew him are going to miss him dearly."
"I had a really bad feeling about that," said another parent.
"It's just a mystery to me what happened. It's just weird," said one Poulsbo resident.
Authorities say someone walking along the beach on Fox Island spotted Azriel's body. He washed ashore, about 12 miles from the spot where the family minivan was abandoned.
Azriel and his mother, Shantina Smiley, disappeared over the weekend. Police released recent surveillance video of the two. It shows the mother and son stopping for directions Saturday night.
The next morning, their van was found partially submerged at the end of a remote beach road in Olympia.
"He could have offered a lot to his world. It's just a shame he's not here right now," said Jed Carver, Azriel's father.
A parent's worst fear is now a reality a whole community must face.
Jed Carver is working to finalize funeral plans for his son today.
